Love is Stronger Than Pride
by Awahili
Summary: After being humiliated in the lounge and being rejected by his best friend, Will makes an executive decision regarding his life and his future. How will Emma react to the news?
1. Starts with Goodbye

This just entered my head, and I had to write it down. Takes place just after "Bad Reputation." Originally intended as a one-shot, but I might be persuaded to continue. *wink wink*

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_"When your standing at a crossroad, there's a choice you gotta make." - Carrie Underwood_

Emma Pillsbury didn't often receive visitors. As a matter of fact, the last time she'd had her family over last summer she'd spent the following week scrubbing every single surface. The neighbors had learned early on that she didn't like to be bothered with niceties such as block parties and dinner gatherings. And the no soliciting sign on her front door kept away even the most determined salespeople.

So it was with great surprise that Emma heard a definitive knocking on her door at 9:30 on a Friday evening. She had just curled up with a cup of hot cocoa (dairy free, of course) and _My Fair Lady _when the noise cut through her haven.

When she opened her door, however, she received another shock. Standing there, looking for all the world like a man with a mission, was Will Schuester. She'd really let him have it earlier that week, and even though he'd apologized with flowers, Emma had stood her ground. After a night's deliberation, she had told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to sort out his life before he invaded hers. And he'd agreed, albeit reluctantly. He'd looked like a kicked puppy that day in her office, and her heart clenched now even at the memory of him walking dejectedly from her office. They hadn't spoken much since, but tonight he didn't look defeated; he looked determined.

"You were right," he said bluntly, kicking his shoes off at the door and stalking toward her living room. She was too shocked to even remind him to sanitize his hands as she watched him in interest. Suddenly, he whirled on her, his face resolute and expressive.

"You're absolutely right. I'm not ready right now to commit to another relationship; my actions, however debase and regrettable, speak for themselves. And I know I've apologized before, but I'm doing it again. I'm sorry I ever did anything that caused you pain." Her eyes were filling with tears, and Will had to look away to continue. If she broke down, God help him so would he. He took up pacing in front of her sofa in his stocking feet as his words rushed out.

"After you decided to marry Ken, I told myself it was for the best. He's a good guy; he would have treated you with respect, which is the least you deserve. So I backed off, promising myself that I would never do anything that brought you grief or heartache. The look on your face when…" he relived those horrifying moments in the teacher's lounge once again, and he could see she was too.

"Will, I –"

"Don't apologize, Emma, please. Nothing you did warrants an apology. As a matter of fact, I am thoroughly impressed you didn't slap me. God knows I deserved it."

"I…I had just washed my hands, and…well…I was so angry I wasn't thinking straight, and I think I _wanted _ to…" she was rambling now, as well, and Will allowed himself a small smile. She was just as adorable as the day he'd met her. But he couldn't think like that; not now. He'd come here with a plan and he was determined to see it through.

"So, since you're the guidance counselor, I'm taking your advice. I need to figure out who I am – Will Schuester – before anything else happens between us."

"Well, I'm glad I could be of assistance." She still had no idea why he was standing in her living room, but she didn't retreat when he took a step toward her.

"Emma," he admonished slightly at her professional tone, "I have news to tell you, a favor to ask of you, and a question. Which would you like first?"

"Uh…" her brain tried to process his tone and pick the best choice, but finally she just gave in. "T-the news, I guess." He nodded and squared his shoulders as his eyes caught hers.

"I'm going away for a while," he said firmly. She felt her knees weaken and she slumped against the love seat for support.

"Oh," was all she could manage.

"It's only for two weeks," he explained, and she felt her strength returning. Angry at him or not, Emma could not imagine her world without Will in it. "I already cleared it with Figgins, I just wanted to tell you personally because…well, you know…" She nodded, understanding his reasoning and feeling that small flutter in her chest that was oh so familiar in his presence.

"Wh-where are you going?" she managed to choke out.

"One of my old high school friends has a cabin in the middle of nowhere in Colorado. He said I could do my soul-searching there." He smiled grimly, and Emma chuckled at his attempt at humor.

"Um…there was a favor, I think?"

"Yes," he shoved his hands in his pockets, "Could you take over Glee Club for a couple weeks? I just…I don't want Sue to get her hands on it, and I know how much those kids love you." Emma laughed at that and shook her head.

"It's you they adore," she told him, "They were so heartbroken that you couldn't make Sectionals. But when I told them I'd called you and let you hear, they were so excited." She smiled as she remembered the chorus of thank you's and aborted hugs from the group of teens.

"And yet it's you they go to when they have problems," he countered.

"I'm the _guidance counselor_, Will. It's my job."

"True, but these are hormonal, moody teenagers we're talking about. And they come talk to you _voluntarily_. That's pretty spectacular." He crossed his arms over his chest, smiling proudly at her. "It's just…I would feel a lot better if I knew the kids were being looked after. And you're the only one I trust to look out for them. They just need an adult sponsor. They've got the songs for Regionals, and Rachel and Finn can lead rehearsals. All you have to do is sit in with them and enjoy the music." She found herself agreeing before her brain could give her a thousand reasons not to. She knew she couldn't retract it when she saw his shoulders visibly sag in relief.

"Thank you, Emma, that means so much to me." He moved past her toward the door, toeing his shoes on quickly. "I'm sorry for barging in here unannounced; I just had to tell you tonight because my flight leaves in the morning. Take care, Emma, and don't hesitate to call if you need anything." He opened the door and was two steps out before Emma called his name. When he turned, she was gripping the frame tightly with one hand.

"You…you forgot the question," she said softly, watching how his eyes danced in the porch light. He took two strides toward her and leaned over, kissing her sweetly. He didn't press, and he pulled away just as quickly as he'd begun. When her eyes opened – _when exactly had they closed? _– she saw him staring at her intently.

"Will you wait for me?" She made her decision in a split second and stood up on her tiptoes as she returned his chaste kiss. When she pulled away there was hope in his eyes.

"It was only ever you, Will." An honest, joyous grin split his face, and Emma thought it was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. He turned from her and walked back to his car, waving to her as he opened the driver side door. He blew her a kiss from behind the wheel before driving off into the night. Emma didn't shut the door until well after his tail lights faded into the darkness.

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Well there you have it folks. Thoughts?


	2. I Gotta Feeling

15 reviews…wow. You guys are truly amazing. So I guess that qualifies as popular demand. I've mapped out some ideas for this, but it may be a bumpy ride. Hold on tight. I'll be incorporating the new episodes into this fic, so anything you recognize doesn't belong to me. Oh, and because I'm such a nut, every chapter will bear the title of a song.

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_"I feel stressed out, I wanna let it go." - Black Eyed Peas_

Aside from the quick text that let her know he'd arrived in Colorado safely, Emma didn't hear from Will the entire weekend. She knew how much he loved being around people; it just came so easily to him with his natural charm and charisma. To be cut off from that – stuck out in the middle of nowhere – would be especially difficult for him. Talking to him daily probably wouldn't help, nor would it aid in his endeavor to find himself.

So Emma strolled into work on Monday morning determined not to contact Will for anything less than an absolute emergency. Once in her office, she ran through her morning cleaning routine before placing everything in its proper place on her desk. Most of the students who filed in for classes ignored her, but most of the glee kids waved or even said good morning.

It was just after first period when the first one burst into her office. Rachel didn't seem at all at ease, and Emma quickly ushered her into the chair.

"Where's Mr. Schue? Because I have several new numbers I'd like to run by him and he wasn't in his class this morning. Is he sick?" The girl's rapid-fire manner of speaking was a bit hard to follow, but Emma shook her head.

"No, Mr. Schuester isn't sick. He's taking a two week sabbatical."

"Two weeks? What about rehearsals? Regionals is only a month away and frankly, I'm the only one in the entire club who continues to give one hundred percent. I feel that my fellow club members are beginning to get lackadaisical in their practicing and in their performances." The girl looked completely flustered and Emma relaxed her own posture in an effort to calm the girl.

"Rachel, you need to relax and understand that you are not responsible for your teammates."

"Yes I am," she countered, standing from her chair. "I'm their captain, and it's my job to motivate them. If they aren't pulling their own weight, we'll never win regionals." Emma sighed and stood as well.

"I'll talk with everyone this afternoon at practice."

"We're still having practice? But Mr. Schue – "

"Left me in charge in his absence. He said you already had the songs you needed to rehearse, so all I had to do was be your sponsor. I'm sure you and Finn can run things for a few practices." A grin lit up the girl's face and Emma didn't know whether to feel relieved or anxious.

"That's really cool of you, Ms. Pillsbury. Thanks."

"Well, it's my pleasure, Rachel. Now, it seems like something else is bothering you. You said something about them not pulling their own weight?" Rachel dug through her shoulder bag before slapping down a piece of paper on the desk. Emma cringed but didn't say anything as she read the five or six names on the lists.

"I have here a list of people who are not pulling their own weight. I cannot carry the vocals _entirely_ on my own, no matter how talented I am." Emma nodded and folded the paper.

"I'll chat with them about it. But I want to focus now on your constant obsession with control. Do you often feel responsible for everyone else?" Emma slipped into counselor mode easily, and Rachel took the bait.

"I'm their captain. I_ am_ responsible for them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and I'm afraid that this chain will self-destruct." Rachel was in a tizzy now, and Emma barely managed to avoid the girl's frantic pacing.

"Okay, I understand your desire to win regionals, but I also want you to look at it from their viewpoint. You are always…well…bossy, and that's not what they need. Glee is about coming together musically. Everyone in there is passionate about music; you can see it in your faces when you sing. Yes, even Puck and Brittany," Emma pre-empted Rachel's argument.

"Fine," the girl relented, "but how do we get them to start trying again?" Emma nearly did a dance in triumph, but reined in her impulse.

"Include them," she said simply. "Listen to their viewpoints. As captain, your job isn't to dictate what to do and when to do it. Your job is to listen to your people and try and involve them in every step. If you want to be a team, you're going to have to start treating them as teammates instead of subordinates."

"But I am superior to them. They haven't been training classically for nearly as long as I have, and my range is far better than anyone else's." Emma nodded in agreement and, in a rare show of affection, laid a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"You are a better singer, yes," Emma agreed, "But each person in there is special to the team. Each one of them brings something different, and that's what makes you all a great team. As captain, you have to learn how to harness those talents and make something wonderful." Rachel thought for a few more moments before sighing.

"I guess I never really appreciated how much Mr. Schue does for us, huh?" Emma smiled and, when Rachel did too, they shared a laugh.

"Now let me write you a pass to second period," she scribbled down a quick note to the teacher and handed the girl the pink slip. Rachel thanked her one last time and darted out the door.

Over the course of the day, Finn, Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, Tina, and Matt all stopped by to ask about Mr. Schuester. Emma thought it a bit odd that they came to her, but she guessed she was probably the only other adult in the school who had actually cared about them and spent time with them. Just as the last bell rang, Emma received another visitor – an unpleasant one.

"Well hello, Ella," Sue Sylvester had a triumphant smirk on her face, and Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I just heard the news about Schuester and I gotta say, I expected him to crack up way before now. Figgins says you're running the club for losers now, and I just wanted to tell you in person…that blouse is horrendous." And with that, Sue walked away. Emma looked down at her simple pink blouse for a moment before shaking off Sue's comment. The woman was what her daddy would have called "a piece of work."

She entered the choir room expecting to hear twelve voices in beautiful harmony, but instead Emma was met with dead silence. The tension that permeated the air was so palpable that Emma paused at the door for a moment, taking in the teens' postures.

Finn was sitting off to the side, arms crossed and head down. Next to him, Rachel was glaring at the floor, her ears still pink from whatever tirade she'd been on. Santana and Brittany were doing their nails, one of them completely oblivious to what was happening around her. Puck sat smugly on a chair in the back, flanked by Matt and Mike, who looked both chagrined and upset at the same time. Quinn was absently rubbing her protruding belly as she stared at the floor, and Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, and Tina were whispering quietly to themselves in an opposite corner.

Hoping to discover the cause of the discontent, Emma plastered a smile onto her face and walked toward the piano. Those who hadn't stopped by earlier were a little surprised to see her instead of Will, but she just set her bag underneath the piano and turned to the students.

"Good afternoon."

"Ms. P, what's going on?" Puck sat up a little straighter, and Emma sighed. She had hoped the others would at least tell their fellow club members, but it seemed she was to be the bearer of bad news once again.

"Mr. Schuester is taking a two week sabbatical," she said. "I will be supervising your rehearsals until he comes back. So, what are we working on?" No one said anything for a moment, then Kurt rose and sauntered toward her.

"Ms. Pillsbury, if I may?" She nodded and turned to his club mates. "Despite our recent…differences," he shot a look at Rachel, who glared back at him, "we should be taking this opportunity to perform our numbers in front of a fresh audience. Though we acknowledge her…lack of musical training," he looked at Emma apologetically, "Ms. Pillsbury has been instrumental in shaping our success thus far. So let's get this show on the road." Grumbling, but a tad more enthusiastic, they stood up and ran through warm-ups. Gradually, they began to relax and some even began to smile. Rachel was in her element, and everyone seemed to be getting eager to showcase their new songs in front of Emma.

The girls began performing runs as the boys sounded out arpeggios. The resounding musical harmony made Emma smile, and the kids seemed to respond to her enthusiasm. When they were done, they pulled out their sheet music. Rachel cleared her throat and pulled a particular piece out of her pile.

"I think we should start –" but as her eyes roamed over her teammates, she changed tack. "We should decide _together_ which number to do first. Nominations?" The glee club seemed shocked for a moment, but Mercedes recovered quickly.

"Well, I think _I Gotta Feeling_ would be a good opener." Kurt nodded his head and his fingers glided delicately over his perfectly coifed hair.

"I agree. There are plenty of opportunities for solos and lots of musical treasures hidden in the instrumentation." Rachel pulled that one out of her pile before holding up her selection.

"I believe _I Will Be_ best exemplifies the struggles we've faced as underdogs and will show our confidence and talent to the judges." She held it up high, but no one was biting.

"And features you on lead vocals," Santana spat back. Before an argument could erupt, Emma held up her hands.

"Alright, it's in the vote. Anyone else?" No one else said anything, so Emma took a deep breath. "Fine. All in favor of Rachel's choice?" Finn raised his hand, but no one really thought that had anything to do with the music. "Mercedes'?" Ten hands went up, and Rachel huffed indignantly. Papers shuffled for a moment before the band started up. Finn kicked it off, and soon everyone was up and moving as they raced through the lyrics and music. Mike was popping and locking near the piano as Brittany and Matt were working out some quick choreography.

Emma watched them, completely fascinated by their synergy. They were the most unlikely group of teammates in the entire school, but everyone brought something unique to the table. And when they were on, they were great. And, Emma realized as she watched Rachel smiling and dancing, they could always agree once the music was playing.

As the last notes faded, she clapped happily. "Oh, that was just…wonderful. You kids are something else entirely!"

"Thanks, Ms. P," Mercedes was laughing, and they were all a little short on breath as they took their seats. "But now we need a slower song."

"Agreed," Kurt said sadly. "One where Rachel can belt. Sometimes she makes me want to pull my hair dryer in the shower with me, but she's got the pipes." Rachel completely ignored the slight to her character as she stood.

"And I think we should end with _Have a Nice Day._" Finn sat up a little at that.

"Bon Jovi? Are you sure, Rachel?" She grimaced at her own suggestion, but managed to nod.

"It's a strong number visually, and you boys are great together. Between you, Jesse, and Artie we've got the lead covered. And Kurt's got the high harmony to make it really pop." The club was flabbergasted. Kurt's jaw had dropped in shock, and Mercedes' eyebrows had disappeared into her hairline. Emma, on the other hand, couldn't be more proud. Not only had Rachel listened to her, but she'd actually applied her advice. And as Rachel took in the faces of her teammates, Emma wondered if this wouldn't be a more common occurrence from now on.


	3. Home

Okay, so I absolutely loved "Dream On," both the episode and the duet. Seriously, I think that version is better than the Aerosmith version (Sorry Steve :P). Also, they never actually gave Brad Ellis' character a name (the pianist that accompanies just about every song in every episode), so I just decided to call him Brad. I am original.

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_"And I know just why you could not come along with me...but you always believed in me." - Michael Buble_

With Rachel on "vocal rest" for a week due to severe tonsillitis, the glee club spent their time arranging and practicing the other numbers. Finn was happy to have an excuse to pull out the black leather jackets again, and the boys dove into their Bon Jovi number with enthusiasm while the girls and Kurt started in on _I Gotta Feeling_. Rachel used a dry erase board to add her two cents every now and then, though most of her comments were about harmonies or solos.

It was Thursday before Emma heard from Will again. When her phone rang before rehearsal, she ignored it in favor of helping Artie set up the chairs for the band. When her phone rang again ten minutes later, the teens were through with warm ups and were dividing into their groups to work on their respective numbers.

"Hello?"

"Emma, it's Will," he said. She smiled at the serenity in his voice; it seemed that even just a short time away from it all had done wonders for him.

"Well hello," she answered. "Hang on," she held up the phone to the students. "It's Mr. Schuester," she told them, and there was an immediate chorus of enthusiastic hellos. When they settled down, she pulled the phone back to her ear and heard him laughing.

"I guess rehearsals are going well? They sound happy," he commented, and Emma fought back a blush at his subtle compliment.

"Things are going well," she told him. "They've decided on a set list for regionals." There was a pause on the other end, and Emma wondered if his feelings were hurt that he hadn't been there for that.

"Really?" he sounded skeptical. "We've got, like, twelve numbers we've been rehearsing because they couldn't decide. They've been combative for weeks on that, how did you manage to get them_ all_ to agree." His meaning wasn't lost on her; he wanted to know what she said to Rachel.

"Oh, you know, just secret counselor stuff," she said with a smile. "How are things in Colorado?"

"Boring," he answered honestly, then chuckled. "I do get out some, though. I went hiking yesterday, and I'm sore today. I thought I was in shape with the dancing and lifting weights, but I guess not." Emma shook off the sudden image of a shirtless, weight-lifting Will and managed to respond.

"Uh…y-yeah," she took a deep breath. "Anyway, do you want to know what songs they picked, or do you want to be surprised when you get back?"

"Oh, surprised, definitely," he returned eagerly. "I can't wait to get home." Again, his meaning was clear and this time Emma did blush. She moved quickly to the other side of the room to avoid any embarrassment.

"Wh-what's the weather like out there?" she asked quickly, hoping to dodge any uncomfortable questions. She heard him chuckle and knew he wasn't fooled.

"It's great," he told her, and she sighed in relief. "It's a little colder up here in the mountains, but not too bad."

"Well, that's good." She paused for a moment, watching as Rachel leaned over and wrote something on her board before showing it to Finn. He grinned goofily and nodded back. "Hey, when is Jesse due back?" Their most recent glee member had been away for a spring break trip with his friends from Vocal Adrenaline, and Emma wondered just how long the teen drama was going to last.

"He comes in Saturday, I think, so he should be back in school on Monday. Look, I'll let you get back to rehearsal I just…" he sighed heavily, and Emma wondered what he'd been thinking about these last few days. "I just missed your voice, I guess." She heard in that moment just how hard it was for him to be away from everything, and it took every ounce of her willpower to stop herself from asking him to cut his trip short.

"Well, you can always call. I mean, not always, because sometimes I have an appointment that can't be interrupted, but if you leave a message I will call you back when I –"

"Emma," he chuckled lightly. "Thanks." And he hung up. That's how it always was with them; never goodbye. Always "see you later" or "good night"…but never goodbye. She keyed off her phone and stowed it away.

"Ms. P?" Mercedes raised her hand and Emma quickly walked over to the group. Brad had taken the boys and the band off to the auditorium, leaving the girls and Kurt in the choir room. "Hey, we need to figure in this soprano line, and Rachel can't sing for another three days or so. Could you...?" She thrust the sheet music into the woman's hands with a smile. Emma nodded and let Kurt drag her off to the piano to teach her quickly what to do.

Ten minutes later they returned and Kurt kicked it off with a vocal beat that mimicked the opening notes from the popular song. Mercedes opened the chorus with power, and started dancing around. Emma's heart pounded as her lines slowly approached and, with a quick nudge from Rachel, she stood and added her voice to the third chorus, several octaves above Mercedes.

After two more repeats, Santana took the Fergie's verse and Emma sat back down. Kurt patted her shoulder in reassurance and Emma laughed as he took the next four lines in a rap that was so out of character for Kurt.

"We're giving that to Artie," Mercedes explained as the beat died down.

"He's busy with the boys, so I stepped outside my comfort zone," Kurt preened, as if he had sullied himself by stooping to such lows.

"Well, it sounds like it's coming along brilliantly. I'll just go check on the boys." Emma walked down the hall to the auditorium, where the Mike was trying to teach the boys the choreography.

"Things are slow-going," a deep voice sounded from behind her, and she whirled on Brad. The pianist was usually quiet, but Emma always knew exactly what he was thinking by his expressions. His face was an open book, and at the moment he looked frustrated.

"They've been working all week on this. How's the music?"

"Oh, the band's got the number down," he told her. "Mike is just having a hard time getting them to listen to him. Usually Will leads choreography. But the kid's got talent." Emma nodded and made her way to the stage.

"For the last time," Puck was growling, "I am _not_ doing that!"

"Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?" They stopped their argument and looked guiltily at their interim director.

"The problem is that dweeb-o here thinks we can bend in ways that _we can't_. We're dudes, dude!" Puck was agitated, and the others were rallying behind his anger.

"Okay, that's a valid concern. What do you normally do when you hit a road block in the choreography?" She looked at each of them, and Finn cleared his throat.

"Well, Mr. Schue usually takes us through…loosening exercises. But they're super embarrassing, Ms. P, and I don't think –"

"Alright, I understand. Finn, why don't you lead the, um, 'loosening exercises' and I'll go back and see how the girls are doing. Mike, I understand you're a fantastic dancer, but try to remember that most of these guys never really danced before glee. Can you try something a little simpler for now, and see if you can't work your way up to the more advanced stuff later?" Mike nodded and began jumping through some quick movements with his feet. Emma watched for a few seconds before she quickly made her way back to the choir room. It was going to be a long ten days.


	4. Take it From Me

Okay, so this is a bit shorter than usual, but I think y'all won't be too mad at me when you read it. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! Reviews are digital love.

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"_This is something we don't want to live life without." – Emerson Drive_

Will entered the three room cabin completely exhausted. His friend had recommended a local rock climbing group and Will had agreed to check them out. After three days of lessons, he had been deemed ready to go out and try a small cliff. After four hours of climbing, his arms and legs were aching and his back was throbbing, but he felt good.

He showered to give his muscles some relief and made a sandwich. Noting his dwindling groceries, he made a mental note to drive into the small town and restock for the rest of the week. He only had five days left in Colorado before he flew back home. Five more days until he could see Emma's smile and get back to rehearsing with his championship team. Five days until he could begin the rest of his life.

Thinking about her made his heart ache to hear her voice. He fished his cell off the nightstand and turned it on. Per his own self-promise, he had it off most of the time. The only time it was on was when he talked to his parents or Emma, then it went right back off again. This complete isolation was both relaxing and nerve-wracking; he was a social creature by nature. He loved his friends and family dearly, and enjoyed being around them. But being alone had given him a better perspective on what was really important in life, and just what he wanted out of it.

His phone buzzed a few short times, indicating he'd received a text message while it was off. Shaking off his introspective thoughts, he keyed it open.

_Board threatening to shut down glee. HELP!_

His heart raced in his chest as he fumbled through the key sequence that would connect him to Emma. She had sent that earlier this morning just before classes started. He hoped he wasn't already too late.

"Will?" her voice was higher than normal, indicating she was either panicked or having a germ-episode.

"Yeah, it's me. Is everything okay? What's going on?" He sank down on the sofa, unsure if his legs would support him if she told him the worst.

"There's a man here from the board doing an audit of all the arts programs. He said he was going to shut down glee. Will, I don't know what to do? You should have left someone else in charge of glee; now it's going to be cut and I can't do anything…"

"Emma, just relax. Breathe for me…" he waited until she calmed a little, then took a breath himself. "Has he cut the program yet?"

"No, but –"

"What did Figgins say?" Will cut her off, unable to hear her apologize one more time for something she had no control over.

"Well, you know how Figgins is," she said, sounding more like herself. "If it saves money, then he's all for it. But, gosh, this Bryan Ryan guy is something else." Will's blood ran cold at the sound of his old rival's name.

"Did you say Bryan Ryan?" he said quietly. Emma picked up on his tone immediately.

"Yes. You know him." It wasn't a question.

"We went to school together," Will confirmed. "He was two years ahead of me, but he was the most popular boy in glee, probably the school. He got all the girls, and all the good parts." Will paused and asked a question he dreaded knowing the answer to. "Does he know that I'm in charge of glee?"

"Yes, he does. He's asked about you." She took a deep breath and continued. "He said he wants to talk to the kids, Will. Should I let him?" She was back to frantic and Will was quick to reassure her.

"If Figgins gives him the go ahead, there's little you can do, Em," Will soothed. "Don't worry about something you can't control. Man, I wish I was there now." He ran his hand down his face in frustration and made a split second decision. "I'm coming home."

"Will, no," she said hastily. "There's nothing you can do, either," she said. "Don't cut your vacation short because some…_man_ is throwing his power around."

"Emma, I need you to stall him for me. Can you do that?" His mind was made up, and he moved around quickly as he packed his belongings hastily into his suitcase.

"Gosh, I'm not sure," she replied. "I mean, I'm not sure what you want me to do."

"Well, nothing too drastic," he added only half-jokingly. Right now, Will's life was coaching those kids through regionals and getting through to Emma. If Bryan Ryan swooped in and took the two good things going on in his life, Will didn't think he could be held responsible for his actions. Emma, at least, recognized the attempt at humor and chuckled.

"Well, that's a relief. Will, you really don't have to do this."

"Emma," he paused in his movements and gave her his full attention. Making sure to put the right combination of determination and emotion in his voice, he told her what had been on his mind for a few days now. "This vacation was designed to get me to think about life, and what I want out of it. I love my job, and I love coaching those kids. Seeing their faces when they're singing…it's like magic. But I also realized that the highlight of my days, the reason I get out of bed in the mornings, is on the other end of my telephone." He heard her sharp intake of breath and continued before she could interrupt his impromptu speech.

"I know this is scary. Hell, I'm scared too. I've actually never dated anyone as an adult, so we'll have to learn together. But I'm ready now, and I'll go at whatever pace you're comfortable with. And as long as you'll have me, I will _never_ do anything to hurt you. You have my word on that, Emma. I care too much about you to risk you for anything stupid or superficial." His meaning was clear, and his heart hammered in his chest as there was only silence on the other end. Then, she said three words that stopped his heart.

"Come home, Will."


	5. Dream On

This one is from a different perspective. This character intrigued me (and not because I love the actor), and I wanted to explore him a bit more. Hope you enjoy. There will be some dialogue you recognize...it's not mine. Oh, and there's a Dr. Horrible reference in here somewhere. First person to catch it gets the next chapter dedicated to them. Honestly, I didn't even catch it till my third read through...apparently I'm unintentionally awesome. Who knew?

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_"Everybody's got their dues in life to pay." - Aerosmith_

Bryan Ryan sighed heavily at the ginger-headed woman in front of him; he hadn't expected this much resistance from her. He had been looking forward to giving Will Schuester a dose of reality and taking him down a notch. He was evidently happy here, something Bryan hadn't felt in a long time. His wife, Wilma, was understanding, but she only remained so when he delivered his rather substantial paycheck. Owning a used Hummer dealership and being a part of the school board kept her happy, but he was miserable. And to top off the bitter cake, Will was once again a part of glee, a program that had defined Bryan Ryan for many years. He had been good, and everyone had known it. But circumstances hadn't worked out for him, and he was finally at a place in his life where he was comfortable enough to admit it: he envied Will Schuester, a phrase that had never before entered his mind.

And so it was with great pleasure when the superintendent had assigned Bryan to be in charge of auditing high school programs to see where the district could save money. Bryan immediately thought of McKinley High, and here he was a week later looking for his old high school pal…only to be met by a deceptively formidable red-head. Guidance Counselor Emma Pillsbury was the interim director while Will was on vacation, and Bryan only took slightly less pleasure in watching her face fall in horror as he delivered the news. His _pièce de résistance_, however, was going to be administering a healthy dose of the truth to all the kids that trusted Will Schuester so much. To watch their hopes fade and bitterness at their lying teacher arise, Bryan was sure he would have paid someone else for that pleasure.

But here he was, at the end of the day, and he still hadn't even talked to the kids. He knew the counselor had called Will, but the outcome of that conversation had been cut short by a rather loud (and seemingly drunken) teacher falling over him in the hall where he was eavesdropping. Now, she was giving him the run around, stalling him for whatever reason. Bryan only hoped that the reason had dark, curly hair and a goofy grin.

"I do not appreciate being ignored," he said, adding just the right amount of annoyance to send her stammering. For a woman who dealt with moody teens all day, she didn't seem to possess one ounce of backbone.

"I-It's just that most of the kids have other extracurricular activities on other days, and it's not really f-fair for them to have to miss out on those just because some…" she caught herself, and Bryan was only mildly curious what kind of insult this petite woman could conjure up. "I mean, just because you want to talk to them. You can have a few minutes tomorrow, before rehearsal. But please keep it short because they need to rehearse for regionals." Bryan felt a pang of regret that he tamped down immediately. He knew the excitement and thrill that went along with practicing music and singing with friends, putting together a winning show and performing for a live audience. But that was a lifetime ago, and he had a real job now.

"Fine. Tomorrow then," he whirled around and stalked off, his heart hammering in his chest. He would at least have time to put together a speech that would dash every hope and dream in the entire glee club. He felt a smile creep onto his face as he thought about it.

Three o'clock didn't come fast enough the next day, and Bryan entered the choir room with the ease of someone who had done it so many times. Memories flooded back to him, but he shook them off. Now was not the time to be thinking about _that_ part of his life. Thirteen kids were assembled in front of Emma, who was talking very quietly to them; no doubt something about him. He cleared his throat to let her know he was behind her. He smiled as she stammered to a stop, and he took a second to admire the view from behind her.

"Oh!" she whirled around and frowned at him for a moment before checking the clock. "Kids," she turned back to the them, "this is Mr. Ryan. He's from the school board and he's here to talk to you about something. Just listen to what he has to say and do not be rude." She eyed a couple of troublemakers in the back before sitting at the end of the front row. Bryan cleared his throat and began in his best authoritative voice.

"Take out a piece of paper, and on that paper I want you to write down your biggest dream." He watched as they followed instructions, the silly little sheep. "A dream that means so much you are afraid to admit it even to yourself." They scribbled for a moment, until he reached down and ripped the wheelchair kid's paper right out of his notebook. They watched in horror as he crumpled it and tossed it perfectly into the garbage.

"Your dream is never going to happen. 91 percent of you will spend your entire lives in Allen County, Ohio." He noted with satisfaction that Emma was turning red with anger. _So she does get hot,_ he thought to himself. Shaking it off, he continued to beat down on the children's hopes. "So unless you wrote down that you plan to work for a mid-market insurance provider or find an entry level job in an elderly care facility, you're going to be very disappointed."

"This is _really_ depressing," the dark girl in the front whispered, and Bryan took a breath and moved into the main part of his speech.

"I'm going to guess that a lot of your dreams involve showbiz!" He faked a smile, as he'd been taught to do when he was sitting in their chairs. "Well, let me tell you that showbiz dreams are the most unrealistic of them all." Collectively, their faces fell, and Bryan cheered internally.

"But that's what I want to do with my life," another girl piped up from the back, and she looked genuinely happy. Bryan guessed she had been a social outcast, a nobody, and joined glee to discover herself. And now, Bryan Ryan was going to shock her into reality.

"Aw, look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings," he said with mock sympathy. "I'm just trying to spare you disappointment. I know, I've been right where you are now. But guess what? My dream didn't work out. And neither will yours." When she burst into tears, Bryan fought back a smile. These kids could finally find something worthwhile to do instead of singing frivolous songs on a stage in front of people who would forget about them the next day. What Bryan Ryan hadn't counted on was a rather furious red-head in the front row.

"That's enough," Emma stood up and stormed toward him. "You can't just come in here and talk to these kids like this." It was clear from the looks on the kids' faces that this was uncharacteristic of her, but Bryan just raised his eyebrows and offered her a pitiful smile.

"I'm just trying to spare them, Emma," Bryan added some compassion to his voice. "Will Schuester has these kids thinking they'll be superstars someday. I just wanted to let them know he was lying to them."

"Mr. Schue doesn't lie to us," a tall boy stood up. Bryan briefly remembered his goofy featured face on the front page after McKinley had ousted the Lions in a spectacular comeback game months ago, but hadn't bothered to even read the name of the boy who was now confronting him. "He helps us out, and challenges us to be better than we are. He's the best teacher we've ever had." A chorus of agreements rang out as the others stood as well. Bryan had counted on them liking Will, but this blind devotion was too much.

"Right," Bryan said, letting bitterness creep into his voice for the first time, "He couldn't make it happen for himself, so now he now has to try and convince you all that it'll happen for you."

"Get out," Emma hissed, and Bryan took a step back at her outburst. She looked about ready to hit him, and for a brief moment he wondered just what was going on between Schuester and the counselor. Then, he smiled at her disarmingly, and her frown lines deepened.

"I want to thank you, Ms. Pillsbury," his eyes swept her small frame once before he gathered his things. "You just made my decision about which program to cut _much_ easier." He left the room quickly, moving on to the home economics room. He at least had to give the appearance of auditing each program. But he was grinning in triumph as he pictured the look on Will Schuester's face when he told him the news.

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I actually enjoyed writing Bryan Ryan. He'll be around for at least one more chapter, simply because I love NPH. Reviews are love.


	6. Leaving on a Jet Plane

Time to find out what Will was up to for the past day…

BTW, the Dr. Horrible reference was in "silly little sheep", referring to NPH's first line of his second to last song (Slipping). "_Look at these people; amazing how sheep'll show up for the slaughter."_ Lame, I know, but it made me laugh when I realized it…

* * *

"_Already I'm so lonesome I could die." - John Denver_

Will had never been a heavy packer, but it seemed like he just couldn't get everything together fast enough. After an hour of checking and rechecking every drawer, he hauled his suitcase and duffel to the rental Jeep he'd gotten for the week. He'd worry about pesky things like airplane tickets when he got to the airport; right now his only focus was getting home.

Emma had hung up after her three-word absolution, and it took Will a good ten seconds to shake himself from his stupor. Of course, after those ten seconds he was a whirlwind of activity, shoving clothes into his suitcase unfolded and tossing toiletries haphazardly into his duffel. He was pretty sure airport security was going to have something to say, but he didn't care about that now.

He barreled down the bumpy road that would take him to the highway, then on to the international airport. The entire time he was telling himself not to get too excited, that she really wanted him there to help sort out the mess with Bryan Ryan and glee. But she hadn't completely panicked on him after his confession; in fact, she'd seemed eerily calm. He wondered just how much she'd thought about them in his absence, and Will knew they were going to have to sit down and have a nice, long talk before they jumped into anything serious.

Traffic was relatively light, so it only took Will an hour to screech to a halt in the parking lot and hastily explain to the valet what was going on. He waved at Will and pulled his bags out, leaving them at the rental agency as he took the car to processing. Will dashed inside to the ticket counter, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from everyone around him including the woman behind the ticket counter.

"Can I help you?" she said, raising one dark eyebrow. Will had a brief image of Mercedes in ten years, but shook it off as he plastered his most charming smile on his face.

"Yes, I got a call from home; there's an emergency and I need to move my ticket from Sunday to today." He pulled out his ticket and his ID, handing both to the woman. She looked at him, then at the door he'd burst through. Sighing heavily, she set about typing in the information and rearranging the ticket.

"Sorry sugar," she frowned. "The next flight to Columbus doesn't leave until tomorrow afternoon. You want on that one?" Will ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"There's nothing else?" She stared at him for a moment before keying in a few more commands.

"I can get you on a flight to DFW that leaves in three hours. From there, however, you'd have to buy another ticket on a red eye to Columbus, but they'd be able to get you there by the morning. That's the best we can do." Will thought about his options, wondering just how much money he had to spare. He made a quick call to his bank and found out he had enough for the extra ticket, but it would mean pretty scarce rations for the next two weeks until his next paycheck. Fortunately, having been with Terri for so long had gotten him accustomed to budgeting on a poor man's salary.

"That flight to Dallas would be great," he thanked the woman as she transferred the ticket effortlessly. "You said three hours?" She nodded. "Thanks." He accepted his ID and the new ticket from her and walked back to the valet, where his bags were sitting on the curb. He handed the man his ticket, and his bags were tagged accordingly and carted off to be loaded when the time came. With nothing else to do, Will walked back into the airport and made his way to the small café inside.

For two hours he stared at the passersby, wondering where each of them were going and who they were missing. Of course, that just got him thinking about Emma again, and his heart ached. He'd known for some time now that he was head over heels for her, and the moment he was finally able to act on it he'd screwed everything up royally. Now, she was giving him a second chance, and he wasn't going to blow it.

He'd changed these past few days as he'd realized just what it was he wanted out of life. He made a promise to himself to make sure every day that Emma knew exactly how wonderful she was, and how much he treasured her. And when he got home, he was going to make her the same promise, along with his word to never, ever hurt her again. The memory of the pain on her face that day ate away at his heart, and he fought back tears as he thought about how close he'd come to losing her forever. Only luck, God, and her mercy had saved him from a life of tortuous loneliness.

At seven o'clock, he finished his fourth cup of coffee and checked through security. His flight was already boarding, so he smiled at the attendant as he entered the walkway toward the plane. Thankfully, the flights from a small airport in Colorado were less than crowded, so Will had the entire row to himself. After shutting his phone off, he stretched out and closed his eyes, his mind filling with different images of him and Emma reuniting.

Just as she greeted him with the most amazing, hottest kiss he'd ever experienced, the captain came on the intercom and announced their arrival in Dallas. Will's eyes popped open, and he took several breaths to calm his racing heart. He turned his phone on again, checking his messages for any frantic call from Emma, but nothing greeted him and he sighed heavily as he hurried off the plane.

DFW International Airport was buzzing, even at ten o'clock at night. He fought his way to baggage claim, found his luggage, and trudged to the ticket counter. The girl behind it was less friendly that the one in Colorado, but she was able to book him on a flight to Columbus, Ohio that left in less than two hours. He sighed in relief as she tagged his two bags and set them off to be loaded. Security took twice as long due to the large number of people, but Will didn't care. His mind was only on one thing: get home to Emma.

"Going home?" an old voice interrupted his thoughts, and Will turned to the man behind him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Will gave the older man a small smile. "Emergency at home. I had to cut my vacation short."

"That's a shame," the man said, his southern drawl drawing out the words. "Hope everyone's alright."

"Oh, yeah, everyone's healthy, thanks. It's just…I'm a teacher and the program I'm running is threatening to be shut down. I can't let that happen." The man nodded thoughtfully.

"Sounds like you care a great deal about those kids," he said. "They're lucky to have a teacher like you, son. We need more of you around." Will thanked the man as he stepped into the security booth, allowing the very bored looking guard to run a wand up and down his body. At last he was through (why did they make you take off your shoes, anyway) and he bid goodbye to the man as he jogged toward his gate.

"Flight 3988 to Columbus is experiencing mechanical problems at this time," a disembodied voice rang out through the terminal. "The flight has been delayed indefinitely. We are sorry for any inconvenience, and our staff will be glad to assist you with sleeping arrangements for the night. Thank you for your understanding." Will froze in his spot, staring incredulously at the board as his flight status went from "On Time" to "Delayed".

"Troubles?" Will turned around at the familiar voice and offered a sheepish smile to the man he'd chatted with earlier.

"My flight's been delayed," he replied lamely, gesturing to the board. The man made an apologetic sound and clapped Will on the shoulder.

"I would offer a place to stay, son, but I'm going to visit my brother in Tulsa. Best wishes now." Will smiled his thanks and waved the man off as he trotted toward his own gate. Will stared back at the board and groaned when his departure time switched from 11:55 PM to 10:00 AM. He found the resident Starbucks and settled for a decaf coffee as people milled about him, their plans completely uninterrupted.

As they often did these days, his thoughts floated to Emma. He wondered what she was doing at this exact moment, and cringed. It was almost midnight on a school night, so he'd guess she'd be sleeping. Immediately his mind filled with images of her _not_ sleeping, and he berated himself for them. There was so much they had to sit and discuss before she'd probably even let him hug her, so the thoughts running through his mind were definitely out. But, he reasoned, it was going to be a long, lonely night, and he had nothing else to occupy his time.

After a grueling, tortuous hour he shook himself from his daydream and stood to stretch. Airport chairs weren't comfortable at all, but they were better than the bench he was currently on. He found his gate and – not surprisingly – several people were sprawled out already. He found a row of vacant chairs and made sure his wallet and phone were secured underneath him before he settled down for a restless sleep.


	7. You're Like Coming Home

A longer chapter for those of you who have been so awesome in your reviews. Thanks so much! Here is the long awaited reunion. Oh, and _TheGreatFlyingKiwi_ and _spinini_...your wish will be granted soon enough. But first, some Wemma lovin'! And the songs don't belong to me, they belong to the awesome artists who sang them and their record labels.

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"_These are the days that can't be erased." - Lonestar_

After Mr. Ryan's exit, the kids had gathered by the piano and were giving one another nervous glances.

"That was cool, Ms. P," Mercedes praised.

"Not too cool," her head fell to her hands. "Glee's going to be shut down and it's my fault."

"No, it's not," another voice cut in, and fourteen sets of eyes turned to the doorway. Will Schuester stood there with a duffel on his shoulder and a suitcase dragging behind him. Emma rushed toward him, seemingly to tackle him in a hug, before she remembered where they were. She stopped short and smiled graciously at him, seeing the sparkle in his eyes as he smiled back.

"Welcome back, Mr. Schue," Rachel greeted.

"Thanks, Rachel," Will tore his gaze from Emma to address his students. They looked beat down and dejected, and for a moment Will had an insane urge to find Bryan Ryan and give him a piece of his mind…and maybe more.

"I'm so sorry you had to cut your vacation short," Emma started rambling, and Will held up a hand to stop her before she got up a good head of steam.

"No apologies," he replied. "This is more important right now. What did he say to you guys?" Most of them seemed to be at a loss for words, so Puck – with a little help from Quinn and Kurt – explained what had gone on just minutes before. If possible, Will was even more furious.

"I'll talk with Figgins about it, then I'm going to see Bryan. We went to school together; maybe I can talk him down." Will doubted very much that would happen, but he had to give these kids something. Many of them visibly relaxed, but Rachel and a few others weren't fooled. Neither was Emma.

"But Will, he's gone now, and he's already made up his mind. If I hadn't –"

"Don't apologize for telling that fool off," Mercedes jumped in with attitude. "I would have done it myself, only my momma raised me to respect adults. Though I'm pretty sure she'd have made an exception in this case." Finally, the kids laughed for the first time and Will felt as though everything would be okay.

"Well, I hear you guys have something to show me?" Their grins got wider as they nodded proudly. "I can't wait to hear it. Why don't you guys go warm up in the auditorium, and Miss Pillsbury and I will be along in a moment." Most of them rolled their eyes at his obvious attempt to get rid of them, but Brittany was practically jumping up and down in anticipation.

When they were gone, Will turned to Emma and slowly reached out for her hand. She hesitated for only a moment before slipping her smaller one into his. He pulled her to him, close but not touching, and inhaled deeply.

"I missed you," he said honestly. "I hate being so far away from everything."

"Yes, but that trip was for a reason, Will." She seemed to want to take a step back, but Will beat her to it. She visibly relaxed as he moved away from her and over to the piano. Sitting down, his fingers glided through a few basic scales effortlessly as he allowed her to regain her composure.

"There was no music there," he told her, as if they were still only friends and nothing more, discussing some benign camping trip. "No guitar, no piano…all I had was my mp3 player and the shower." She laughed at that, moving to stand beside him. She was glad he'd initiated this semblance of normalcy; she'd had just about as much drama for one day as she could stand between her day's appointments and recent events.

"That must have been torture for you," she joked, watching his hands as he shifted from a major to a minor scale. He slowed his movements and looked into her eyes.

"Unbearable," he declared sincerely, and her heart skipped. Just as quickly, he transitioned into a melody that Emma thought she recognized. When he opened his mouth to sing, she became entranced. His singing voice was like honey, slow and sweet, and she never could get enough of it.

"_You're like a Sunday morning, pleasing my eyes. Like a midsummer's dream under a star-soaked sky. A peaceful, easy feeling at the end of a long, long road. You're like coming home." _ He repeated the last line a few times, adding in some vocal improvisations as his fingers danced on the piano. When he slowed to a stop she snapped out of her trance and noticed he'd closed his eyes. When he turned his head toward her and opened them, the wave of emotion from him hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I…I think we should, um, get to the auditorium now." She backed away from him nervously, and he closed the piano lid softly. He knew she was going to be even more gun shy around him now than before, but he was determined to see it through. If that meant following her cues from time to time and backing off, he was willing to do so.

"Sure thing, let me stow my bags in the office." He dropped both cases inside and followed her to the theater, where the kids were getting into their starting positions. They sat in the middle just below the house divider and waited patiently as the music was cued.

As the kids moved flawlessly through _I Gotta Feeling_, Will's eyes danced. Emma looked back and forth between the stage and Will, gauging his reaction to their set list. The Black Eyed Peas song ended, the opening strains of the boys' song started, and the girls ran to the sides of the stage to toss them their leather jackets before running off stage. Finn shrugged his on with attitude and popped his collar as he opened the song.

Will was beside himself as he watched the boys flow through some intricate dance moves as they traded off lines in the Bon Jovi song. Emma whispered quickly that they'd been working on it all week, and Mike was helping them add some more for regionals. All the passion and energy from their mash-up performance was there, and this time they didn't have drugs to blame it on. Will watched as each of the boys took a turn with the lines – even Kurt. When they ended, Will was standing up and cheering. When he took his seat, he leaned over and nudged Emma.

"What's next?" he whispered, running through the list of songs they'd been rehearsing to try and figure out what they would end with.

"You'll have to wait and see," she whispered back, giving him a sly grin. The lights dimmed and the boys rushed off stage to change as Rachel emerged in a flowing white gown. Brad began a soft piano line as she walked slowly to the front of the stage, and a single spot light illuminated her. With more emotion than Will had ever seen from her, she took a deep breath and began singing.

"_Whatcha gonna do with the thirty six cents sticky with coke on your floorboard_

_ When a woman on the street is huddled in the cold on a sidewalk vent trying to keep warm_

_ Do you call her over, hand her the change_

_ Ask her her story, ask her her name_

_ Or do you tell yourself…"_

The girls emerged in matching gowns, gliding slowly from the sides of the stage as they joined in on the chorus. Their voices lifted in perfect harmony as they moved to stand beside Rachel, swaying back and forth in time to the music.

"_You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world._

_ You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world."_

From the back, Finn led the boys now dressed in black jeans and white dress shirts. Kurt moved forward and lifted his face into the light as he sang.

"_Oh, whatcha gonna do when you're watching TV and an ad comes on, yeah you know the kind._

_ Flashing up pictures of a child in need; for a dime a day you can save a life. "_

Rachel took his hand and clasped it tightly as she added her soprano to his already high voice in harmony.

"_Do you call the number, reach out a hand_

_ Or do you change the channel, call it a scam. _

_ Do you tell yourself…"_

The girls had moved back to the risers with the guys, and each pair was moving through a complex dance sequence. Jesse moved up and grabbed Rachel as Kurt and the girls took the chorus.

"_You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world. (Don't listen to them when they say)_

_ You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world."_

Rachel stepped back to the front, her face tight with emotion as she sang the tag.

"_Oh the smallest thing can make all the difference._

_ Love is alive! Don't listen to them when they say_

_ You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world."_

As the band moved through the instrumental skillfully, the kids danced around the stage, combining ballet moves with hip hop, inspired by both Mike and Rachel. As they danced, Mercedes stepped away from Matt and took a deep breath to belt the second tag.

"_The world's so big it can break your heart_

_ And you just wanna help, not sure where to start_

_ So you close your eyes and send up a prayer_

_ Into the dark"_

Finn twirled Rachel to the front of stage as the rest of the group froze and the instruments died down, leaving Rachel's voice carrying the melody softly across the room.

"_You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world. _

_ Don't listen to them when they say"_

As the band kicked up, the rest of the glee club turned their faces up and belted the last chorus in a beautiful four-part harmony.

"_You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world."_

As the boys began to harmonize with the music, the girls danced around as Rachel sang out.

"_Oh the smallest thing can make all the difference._

_ Love is alive! Don't listen to them when they say_

_ You're just a fool, just a fool_

_ To believe you can change the world."_

The boys fanned out to stand between the girls as the teens formed a line across the stage. They sang the last line smiling as they lifted their hands in the air in triumph. When the last of the resonance faded, Will jumped up from his seat clapping.

"I can't believe it, guys. That was…amazing!" He was grinning ear to ear, and so were the kids as they ran off stage to join their mentor.

"Well, Ms. P helped us a lot," Mercedes praised, and Will smiled at her.

"We were originally going to end with _Have a Nice Day_, but she convinced us that _Change_ was a better finale." Rachel added. Emma blushed at the compliments, and reached out to lay a hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"You kids get most of the credit. Gosh, you guys are so good." They all beamed at her praise, and Will had to resist the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"That was just about the best welcome home present I could have hoped for," he told them. "I think you have done a wonderful job, and you know what? I think Vocal Adrenaline should be very, very afraid!" They all cheered and jumped on their teacher, showering him with hugs and claps on the back. They rushed back to the choir room in their excitement, laughing and joking the entire way. Will turned to Emma and reached for her hand.

"Dinner at my place at seven?" he asked earnestly. She gave him a shy smile and began stammering a polite refusal, citing his long flight and how tired he must be. But Will wasn't going to let her back out now, and he stepped closer, talking quietly in the empty theater. "Emma, we need to talk about this, and we need to eat. No reason we can't do both. Besides, I just spent two weeks wanting to see your face, and now you're going to deny me? That's cruel." She could see the glint in his eyes that told her he was joking, so she smiled back.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be cruel, not especially since you flew all the way out here and cut your trip short. Gosh Will, what are we going to do about Bry –" He put his finger on her lips, and her mind raced back months to that fateful day in the hallway after Sectionals. This time, however, he didn't kiss her senseless and beg her not to leave.

"We'll deal with that tomorrow," he said. "Tonight, I want to wine and dine you and treat you like a queen. Think you can handle it?" She removed her hand from his grasp and began walking toward the exit. Will wondered if he'd moved too fast, but only for a second as she turned her head over her shoulder and winked at him.

"See you at seven." And she was gone. Will was at a loss for words as he watched her form disappear behind the double wooden doors. He was in deep, he knew that for sure, but he was going to love every minute.


	8. Give Me a Sign

"_There's something buried in the words, your tears are adding to the flood." – Breaking Benjamin_

Will darted around his apartment, his mind a whirlwind of activity. He had cleaned his living room twice, his kitchen once, and had even gone so far as to disinfect every surface in his bathroom. Between cleanings, he checked on dinner – a delicious, dairy-free linguini with shrimp and mushrooms. The woman at the store had assured him that his dairy-substitutes cooked just like the real thing. He hoped Emma wouldn't mind the Tiramisu he had picked up on his way out the door; he was craving Italian, but he wasn't sure if it was on Emma's "Don't Eat" list. He had a delicious fruit salad prepared just in case, but he was sure he could get her to at least try one bite.

As his clock chimed seven, he heard a knock on his door. He chuckled at her punctuality, checked his reflection in the hall mirror, and rushed to the door. Taking a deep breath, he put on his most charming smile and opened the door. They both froze for a moment, neither quite sure what to say as they stood there staring at each other. Will let his eyes darted down once, then snapped them back to her face. He saw her blushing and instantly berated himself for making her feel subconscious.

"Emma, hi," he was still grinning like an idiot, and if he didn't invite her in he was going to stand there all night gawking at her. "Please, come in." He stood aside and watched as she carefully removed her shoes at his door.

"It smells wonderful," she told him finally as he led her toward the living room. There were two glasses of wine sitting on the coffee table, and he handed her one as he lifted his own to his lips.

"Italian," he told her, "I hope you don't mind. I made sure not to use any dairy." She smiled her thanks at him and took a sip of wine, feeling the liquid course down her throat. She hated this feeling of awkwardness between them, but then she reminded herself that was why she was here. He wanted to talk to her and – though he hadn't outright said it – probably apologize again.

Just as Will opened his mouth to say something, the oven timer buzzed. That single noise seemed to break whatever tension had been building, and they shared a laugh. Will deposited his glass on the table and stood, hesitating only a second before leaning over and planting a chaste kiss onto Emma's forehead. She grinned as she watched him go, her eyes inadvertently roaming over the pressed khakis he wore as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"It's ready," he called, and she grabbed his wine as she stood and walked to the dining room. The table was laid out in a simple but elegant style, with a cream-colored table cloth and a single lit candle off to the side. He was wearing oven mitts as he carried their pasta dish into the room and set it down in the middle of the table. Emma set his wine glass on one side and took a seat on the other, not minding at all as he dished out a small portion on her plate. Once he was settled across from her, he raised his wine glass to offer a toast.

"To new beginnings," he said, smiling softly at her. She lifted hers in salute before taking a sip, her eyes never leaving his. "So," he continued as he picked up his fork and dove into his plate with gusto, "What's been happening since I've been gone?" She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and proceeded to tell him everything that had happened in glee since his departure two weeks ago.

"So Rachel actually lost her voice?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, it was not surprisingly quiet for a week while she recovered." He laughed at that, trying to image the opinionated teen trying to hold her tongue for an entire week. "Of course," Emma went on, "when she did get her voice back she proceeded to pull out a notebook of notes she'd apparently been keeping and tell everyone her thoughts from the previous week." Will burst into laughter at that, and Emma watched his entire face light up.

"That definitely sounds like Rachel." He finished his last bite and wiped his mouth. "How's Quinn doing?" Emma shook her head and frowned.

"Poor girl, she's having such a hard time living at Puck's house. His mother constantly nags her, and her grades have slipped almost a full letter grade since all this came out. I'm really worried about her, Will." He reached across the table and put his hand over hers, squeezing just a little in reassurance before retracting it.

"She's a strong girl, she'll make it through this. Glee club's got her back, and she knows we're here for her if she needs anything." A beat of silence, then, "How's the whole Jesse/Rachel/Finn fiasco going?" Emma laughed at that and shook her head.

"Oh my gosh, it's so weird between them. I think Rachel and Jesse are okay now, I saw them hugging and talking in the hallway. Finn's still heartbroken, poor kid, but he's determined." Will nodded and finished off his wine.

"I really can't thank you enough for taking over for me. It means a lot to me."

"Oh, it was no big deal, really. The kids are so wonderful, and I hate to think what Figgins would have done." She, too, had finished her wine, and promised herself at least one full glass of water before having another. Will simply smiled at her again, and she could see the hesitation in his eyes; he was just as nervous as she was. That thought alone served to calm her nerves somewhat as she finished her meal.

"This was really good, Will," she praised. "Thank you."

"Oh, it's my pleasure," he joked, offering her a mock bow from his seat. "Are you finished?" At her nod, he wiped his mouth and stood. "Would you like dessert first or do you want to help me wash these dishes?"

"Actually," she said, surprising him, "I'd like to get a glass of water and go sit on the couch." He stared at her for a moment before jumping into action. He retrieved her water and followed her into the living room. They sat on either end of the couch, turned toward each other and backs resting against the arms. She saw him formulating just how to begin to apologize once again, so she took a deep breath and beat him to it. She looked down at her hands folded in her lap as she spoke.

"I…I know you said not to, but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm sorry for confronting you the way I did. I was just so angry, and hurt, and I wasn't really thinking clearly. I should have handled it better, and I feel so bad for humiliating you like that." She paused and took a breath, her eyes still glued to her folded hands. When she snuck a glance, his eyes were watery.

"I deserved it. I know I should have been up front with you about Shelby…I was just so messed up, and I was mad at Terri and confused about where we stood."

"But you've always known where I stood with you Will," she cried, her tears escaping down her cheeks. "It probably wasn't right because you had Terri and I was….with Ken. But I fell in love with you so long ago I can't remember a time I didn't love you." She was crying now, and didn't care that she had just admitted her biggest secret to a man she didn't fully trust anymore. He was off the couch and on his knees by her side in a heartbeat, and he grabbed her hand as tears of his own rolled down his face.

"God, I am _so_ sorry. I could spend the rest of my life telling you that, and it wouldn't be enough. I can only tell you that the lowest point in my entire life was those few brief moments with Shelby. I have never felt as ashamed about anything in my entire life." He stared into her eyes, trying to relay to her through his gaze the intensity of the emotions he was feeling. "When I came to my senses, I let her out and I cried myself to sleep. Somehow I convinced myself that not telling you was better than fracturing whatever delicate balance we had achieved. I should have been honest, and I _swear_ to you that nothing like that will ever happen again."

"Will?" her face was full of confusion, and he shifted to sitting beside her on the couch still clutching her hand like a life line. "I don't understand." She sounded mad now, and he was completely shocked as she ripped her hand from his and stood. "This was a mistake…I should have…you don't…" she wasn't making any sense, and her breath was becoming shallow and erratic. Will saw the telltale signs of a panic attack in her flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes.

"Emma?" he jumped up from the couch and stopped her escape, grabbing her hand. Her skin was cold and clammy, and her brown eyes were glossy with unshed tears.

"I thought we really had a shot here, Will," she whispered, trying to get her breathing under control.

"Emma, I don't understand," he pleaded.

"Just please let me go, Will."

"No," he said with conviction, "I made that mistake once, and I am never doing it again." Once again, she tried to pull her hand away, but he gripped it firmly. "Emma?" His reflexes were barely adequate to catch her as she promptly passed out in his arms.

Now thoroughly confused, he carried her to his couch and laid her down gently. He brushed her red hair away from her face, frowning as he felt how cold she was. Moving his fingers to his neck he found her heart racing like she'd run a 100 yard dash. Banishing thoughts of calling a doctor – Emma hated them – he pulled a quilt from the hall closet and draped it over her. He honestly had no idea what had happened to get her so upset, but all that could wait until she was awake again.

He spent several minutes just staring at her face, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair. Her words were on replay in his head, and he fought back tears.

"_This was a mistake_." If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that she was dead wrong. Nothing about them being together could ever be called a mistake, and he was going to make sure she knew it. Knowing there was little he could do until she woke up, he kissed her forehead and went to wash the dishes.


	9. Leap of Faith

"_The first step's always the hardest one to take." - Lionel Cartwright_

As he scrubbed each dish vigorously, Will forced his mind to think about anything but Emma's words. But they came back unbidden in his head, and he replayed every moment from that day in the teacher's lounge.

"_Getting' em fresh off the rebound now, aren't you…you've been fooling around with some woman named Shelby…you're a slut…I thought we were trying to work through this…I'm through with you…I can't…you slept with April Rhodes…"_

Will dropped the plate he'd been drying, sending it crashing to the floor. _That _was what she'd been upset about. She thought…he ran his hands through his hair in frustration, cursing himself for not correcting her when she'd confronted him. He could have saved them so much heartache…

"Will?" her soft voice floated across the apartment, and he leapt over the broken glass and ran into the living room. She was half-propped up on her elbows, her head turned toward the kitchen. He sat on the coffee table and handed her a glass of water, trying to hide the way his hands were shaking.

"How are you feeling?" he asked first, wanting nothing more than to set the record straight regarding April but knowing she was probably just scared and confused right now.

"Fine, I feel fine," she answered. "What happened?"

"You, uh…you had a panic attack, then you passed out." She furrowed her brow for a moment, trying to recall the events that led up to her fainting. Will saw the exact moment it hit her and he grabbed her hand quickly.

"Will, I can't…"

"Look at me," the forcefulness in his voice had her stopping cold, and she locked eyes with him unwillingly. "I _never_ had sex with April. She had nowhere to stay, so I offered my couch. At midnight, she came into my room crying because she hates sleeping alone. She slept on one side, I slept on the other. That's it. Nothing happened, and I am so sorry for not clearing that up weeks ago. You have to believe me, Emma." She felt all the pain and humiliation from that day crash down around her again, and she tried to pull away from him.

He stood up and moved away from her, but not before she saw the tears in his eyes. He was hurting just as much as she was, if not more. He shared her pain, but she didn't have to live with guilt and shame on top of it. He put so much onto his own shoulders that she wasn't sure how he even stood tall sometimes. But if they were going to make it through this, they were both going to have to start talking to each other. She sat up fully, blanket still draped over her legs, and wrung her hands together.

"I…I believe you, Will," she said finally, staring at his back. She could see instantly how his shoulders relaxed, but he didn't turn around. "I should have talked to you about it, gotten the real story. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."

"No," Will said, turning around finally. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who screwed up, and it's because of me that we've lost so much time." He moved back to the couch and sat down next to her. "How did this happen, Emma? We were…G_od_, I loved being able to just walk into your office and talk to you. We used to eat lunch together, or chat in the hallways. If I was having a bad day, a wave and a smile from you was all it took to turn it around. I miss that. I miss you."

"I understand what happened, and I understand why you did it," she said, snapping into counselor mode. It was always easier dealing with other people's problems, but this time someone else's problem was her own as well. "But it's going to take a while for us to…get back to that." She reached over then and took his hand. "But I'm ready to get started." When she looked up at his face, she saw the tears rolling down his cheeks. He laughed with relief as he used his free hand to wipe them away, and he pulled her across the couch to his chest, holding her there against him possessively.

"You are wonderful, and beautiful, and so much more than I deserve. And I love you." He kissed her head softly, inhaling the sweet scent of her lavender shampoo. Her hands were bunched in the back of his shirt as she closed her eyes. She'd laid it all out there earlier, and only now, after he voiced his own feelings, did she feel truly confident that they could work through this.

"Will?" she asked into his shirt, and she felt him kiss her head again before humming an affirmation. "Do you think we could watch a movie now? Talking about all this emotional stuff and passing out kind of has me wired." He chuckled and pulled away from her.

"Sure," he stood up and opened a cabinet next to the television. "I spent part of my tax return on DVD's so I've got plenty to choose from. What's your poison?"

"Comedy. I'm sick of action movies and I don't think anything too emotional is a great idea right now." He thumbed through a few titles before pulling out _The Hangover_.

"Here, this is funny and doesn't require you to really concentrate on it to enjoy it. You go ahead and start, I'm going to finish cleaning up." He put the disc in the player and dashed to the kitchen. She heard him sweeping up glass and wondered briefly if he'd dropped it or if he'd been so distraught he'd thrown something. She'd never known Will to be violent, but there was something about him that thrilled her and terrified her at the same time. Now that she knew he lifted weights on top of his dancing regime, she found her mind wandering to questions about his physique at inopportune times.

_Like now, for instance,_ she thought to herself, trying to shake a rather intense image from her mind. There was no need to dwell on _those_ thoughts just yet; they had barely begun mending their relationship. But it seemed her mind wasn't really listening to her today, and she missed the first ten minutes of the movie as she daydreamed about the man in the other room. She snapped out of her reverie when Will planted himself beside her on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and two ginger ales.

"Wine doesn't really go with popcorn," he explained, and she shook one last enticing image from her head as she thanked him.

He set the bowl between them but soon found that it was more of a hindrance as he repeatedly grabbed her hand instead of a fist full of popcorn. Only when she laced her fingers with his did he take action, and shuffled everything around so that she was leaning back against him with the popcorn in her lap. One of his legs was stretched across the cushions and the other was resting on the floor, and Emma was nestled quite comfortably in front of him with her head pillowed on his shoulder.

Emma was content to sit there all night against the steady rise and fall of his chest, listening to his heart beating or feeling his lips against the soft skin of her temple every so often. Thankfully Will had chosen a movie she didn't really have to pay attention to, so she focused her energies instead paying attention to the man behind her. His chest rumbled every time he laughed, and she felt his muscles ripple each time her hand brushed his leg.

The first few times were an accident, but Emma found she rather enjoyed being able to touch him. So she let her fingers roam a bit across his knee and thigh, holding back a giggle as his quads tensed and relaxed at the sensation. She heard his breath hitch a little each time she did it, and she mentally berated herself for teasing him so. Neither one of them was ready to escalate the physical nature of their relationship just yet, so she forced her hands into her lap and demanded they stay there.

Will, however, had had enough of her torture and began some of his own, running his fingertips lightly up and down her arm. He turned his head so that his nose was buried in her hair and he nuzzled her softly, eliciting a small gasp from her that he would have missed if he hadn't been listening for it. He moved his hand from her arm to her neck, turning her head toward his ever so slightly. That was all the incentive she needed to tilt her head and allow him to capture her mouth in a kiss.

It started off sweet and chaste, but as Will leaned in a bit more she turned to face him fully. Will took advantage of the move to stretch them both out on the couch, laying her against the back as he slid down next to her on his side. His right arm was her pillow and his left hand was buried in her hair as they continued to kiss, letting out every bottled up emotion they had been suppressing for weeks. He felt her body tense and he slowed down a little, letting her know that nothing else was going to happen tonight. She seemed to pick up on the non-verbal cue and relaxed, letting her hands roam a bit over his back.

Minutes or hours later, Will pulled away and kissed her nose. She looked absolutely gorgeous with swollen, thoroughly-kissed lips, and he wondered briefly how anyone could have overlooked such a priceless treasure. Her eyes were still closed with pleasure, and he smiled at her demure nature.

"It's almost eleven, Em," he whispered, turning his head to watch the last of the credits roll across the screen. "Do you want me to drive you home?" She opened her eyes then, her mind mentally calculating just how long they'd been making out on the couch. He sat up as she did and watched as she straightened her clothes and hair.

"Um…no. No, that would be silly," she said, standing up. "Tomorrow's Thursday and we both have school and Figgins will have a cow if we show up together. And I can't wear this to sleep in and then at school tomorrow. That would just be…yick." He laughed at her term and she smiled.

"Can I at least walk you to your car, then?" he asked, grabbing her jacket from the rack. She toed her shoes on and nodded as he slipped the garment over her shoulders. They were silent as he walked barefoot beside her, just taking in the last few moments together until tomorrow.

"Thanks for dinner," Emma said finally as she unlocked her door. He opened it for her, knowing how she hated grabbing dirty car handles, and grinned.

"It was my pleasure," he answered honestly. "Thank _you_."

"For what?" she crinkled her nose in confusion, and he couldn't resist leaning over to kiss it quickly.

"For being you," he returned, loving the way her face lit up when he complimented her. He made a mental note to do it more often as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. I want to talk to Bryan tomorrow morning, so I'll see you at lunch." Emma's face fell at the reminder of all their troubles, but Will was quick to reassure her. "Don't worry, love. I'll sort everything out." Her head snapped up at the endearment, but Will just played it off naturally. "Good night." He shut her door and stood in the drive as she backed out and drove away. He waited until he couldn't see her tail lights anymore before going back inside.


	10. Life's a Dance

Okay, so here's a longer chapter - the longest one yet! - with a lot of Wemma lovin'. Also, there's a flashback that was inspired by an "I-lost-count-of-how-many-times"-ieth viewing of "Dream On." Was it me, or was Will not so much surprised to hear he landed the lead as embarrassed that Sue was gushing?

Oh, and for _TheGreatFlyingKiwi_ and _spinini_, your wish has been granted...

* * *

"_Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow." – John Michael Montgomery_

Will was grinning as he packed up his things as the last of the glee kids waved goodbye. He'd managed to convince – or rather, bribe – Bryan Ryan into letting them keep glee together, and the kids sounded better than ever in their quest for a regional win. Nothing could make him happier.

"Knock, knock," a voice interrupted his thoughts, and his grin widened. _Okay, I was wrong_, he thought to himself as he turned to face Emma. His smile faded, however, when he noticed the frown on her face.

"Emma, what's wrong?" he asked, dropping his bag into his seat as she walked in.

"Rachel told me what you did. I mean, what you had to do to save glee. I'm sorry, I know you were really excited about getting the lead." Will gave her a soft smile as he remembered that night at her house.

_He'd arrived early for dinner with the largest grin she'd ever seen on his face. She let him in, finding his smile contagious as he kicked off his shoes. _

"_What's got you in such a mood?" she teased, accepting the hello kiss he gave her. He seized her around the waist and lifted her in the air, spinning without abandon in the middle of her living room. Her squeal of excitement was the only sound for a moment before he put her down and hugged her tightly._

"_I got the lead in _Les Mis_," he informed her, his eyes dancing with merriment._

"_Oh Will, that's fantastic!" she hugged him again. "You're going to be so great."_

"_I just got the call from the director," Will continued, his face falling. "My only concern is what's going to happen when Bryan finds out." Emma knew there was going to be backlash when that piece of information became public, but she shook her head._

"_We'll worry about that tomorrow," she told him. "Tonight, we're going to celebrate."_

He shook himself from the memory and sighed. "It was the only way to save the club." He knew in his heart it was the right thing to do, and he wasn't lying to the kids when he'd told them why he'd done it. But it still didn't stop the ache deep in his heart at losing a shot at the stage.

"You might be able to fool a dozen teenagers, Will, but I know you better. I know how much you wanted it." She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his neck in comfort. He laid his head on her shoulder briefly and held her tightly for a moment before releasing her.

"Really, Emma, I'm okay with it. I was a little disappointed at how shallow he is. I mean, I know he's always kind of been that way, but in high school he was _the_ coolest guy. I guess I fell into an old routine for a second before I realized that, now, he should be jealous of me." Emma stepped back from him and wrung her hands together as she looked at the floor, a sure sign she was nervous about something.

"Actually, while we're on that issue…I wanted to tell you something, but you have to promise not to get mad. I know that's probably an extremely ironic statement given the nature of what happened, but I just want you to hear me out." She was worrying him now with her rambling, and he sat on the edge of his desk to support himself.

"What is it? It can't be as bad as you're making it out to be." He chuckled to off-set her serious tone, but it fell flat as she looked up at him with tears.

"Bryan Ryan came on to me yesterday," she told him. Will was off the desk in a heartbeat, and she held up her hand to stop him from storming out the door and after the man. "I told him in very, _very_ clear terms that there was absolutely no way he and I would ever…" she suppressed a shudder at the thought and focused on the furious man before her. She knew he had a temper - he'd told her of the night he'd found out about Terri's lies - but she'd never witnessed it firsthand. "Anyway, I think he was just jealous that you got the part, because he never said anything after that, and I know you gave him the part yesterday afternoon." Will was eerily still as he took deep breaths, and Emma didn't move a muscle as she watched his eyes soften from their murderous look. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, holding her almost crushingly as he calmed down.

"I couldn't stand losing you again," he whispered into her hair.

"Well, no worries there," she reassured him while trying to lighten the mood. "Promise me you won't go after him and punch him?" she added softly, and he barked a laugh.

He pulled away and framed her face with his hands. "You and glee are the most important things in my life, in that order. He threatened to take _both_ of them away in less than a week. I am going to have a talk with him. But I promise not to deck him, even if he does deserve it." He kissed her then, not caring about Figgins' rule on displaying affection. It was after school hours and there were no kids around anyway.

"I want to take you out tonight," she said after a moment, "to commemorate the end of all this…mess."

"But you hate restaurants," he stated unnecessarily.

"I know, but my therapist says I should try stepping out of my comfort zone sometimes, and I think I'll be okay as long as I check the place out beforehand and you don't ever leave my side." He laughed as he grabbed her hand.

"I think I can handle that," he answered. "You find a place you like and let me know. I need to get home and get some paperwork done before I can do anything. The sub I had for my classes last week didn't really follow my lesson plans, so my upper level classes have some catching up to do."

"I'll call you later," she said, waving as she walked out of his office. Will watched her figure disappear out the choir room door before returning to his tasks.

Two hours later, he was halfway through grading a pop quiz when his phone rang. Seeing Emma's smiling face on his caller ID made him smile, and he knew she could hear it in his voice when he answered.

"Hello, beautiful."

"Hi Will," she answered, sounding a little flustered.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yes," she replied. "I found a place. Can you be ready in an hour?" He heard running water in the background and deduced she was rushing through her routine to be ready on time.

"Absolutely. Are you picking me up?"

"I sure am, mister," she laughed. "It's the twenty-first century, after all." He laughed with her before bidding her goodbye, promising to be ready when she arrived. After a quick shower and shave, he threw on a pair of dark khakis and a navy polo. He was tying his shoe laces when the doorbell rang.

"It's open!" he called, finishing the knot. As the door opened he stood up and promptly stumbled forward as he took in the vision before him.

Emma had swept her hair up just like he'd seen her at the bridal shop, though she'd foregone the tiara for the night. She had a forest green blouse on top of a straight black skirt that stopped just past her knees, though the slit in the side reached her mid-thigh.

"Will, you're staring, do I look okay?" He snapped into action and took two large strides toward her. Lifting her hand to his lips, he chuckled.

"Are you kidding? You look absolutely stunning." He enjoyed the flush on her cheeks for a moment before he grabbed his jacket and led her out the door. He climbed into her passenger seat, feeling only a little awkward as she started the car and backed out of the driveway.

"So where are we going?" he asked finally as they pulled past Schoonover Park and onto Findlay Road. Emma just smiled secretively and said nothing. Enjoying this more playful Emma, Will sat back and stopped pestering her. If she wanted to surprise him, then who was he to ruin her fun?

They pulled up outside a bistro just west of the highway. Murino's Italian Restaurant wasn't packed, but there were enough cars in the parking lot to make Will thankful they'd arrived a little late for dinner. It was just after eight, so the crowds were starting to disperse. He reached over the console and squeezed Emma's hand in support, noticing how cold it was.

"You okay?" He took in her wide eyes and pursed lips, feeling her squeezing his hand in return. "Look, if you're not really comfortable, I don't want you to –"

"No, I want to eat here, with you," she said quickly. "This will be good for me, I just need to…" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, probably going through some calming exercise her therapist had taught her. When she opened them again, she let go of Will's hand and got out of the car. He followed suit, but grabbed her hand again as he joined her on the pavement.

The atmosphere inside was elegant, but not pretentious. The hostess at the front greeted them with a smile, and when Emma gave her name she nodded and led them to a small table near the rear of the restaurant close to the bathroom.

Will pulled out Emma's chair, watching as she sat primly in her seat and adjusted her silverware cautiously. He knew she was fighting the urge to clean them herself, and he hated seeing her so on edge. As he took his own seat, he pulled his clean handkerchief from his pocket and began methodically wiping their silverware down. He knew it wasn't as sterile as she would probably have made them, but the grateful smile in her eyes was worth the strange looks he got from the patrons beside them.

"So, Italian?" he asked with a sly grin, and she ducked her head.

"It's really the only thing I know you like, other than PB&J, and that just didn't seem like an appropriate celebratory dinner." Her hands flitted about as she talked, and he reached out quickly and seized one in mid-air, bringing it to his lips.

"Well, thank you. This is wonderful, and I don't think I've ever been here before." He bit back the reason, but both of them knew just how miserly Terri could be. _Only when it came to me_, Will thought bitterly, then banished the thought. Tonight was about Emma and him, and he'd be damned if Terri was going to ruin this for them.

"Good evening," the waiter stopped by the table with two menus and a bottle of white wine. "My name is Ted, and it will be my pleasure to serve you tonight. Can I offer either of you a taste of a wonderful Amarone?" He set the menus in front of them and held the bottle out for inspection.

"Uh, no thanks," Emma said. "I'll just have a glass of water, please." Will was impressed at how far she had progressed just in the recent weeks.

"Iced tea," he told the man. "Thank you." The man nodded and glided off, tucking the bottle under his arm.

Will knew Emma was having a tough time coping with everything around her, and he didn't even flinch when she excused herself to the bathroom after they'd ordered. When she returned ten minutes later, their appetizer was sitting between them, ready to be eaten. Emma stared at it guardedly, as if the germs would leap out at her any second.

Will took the first bite of the stuffed mushrooms, savoring the flavor as it coated his tongue. When he'd finished a whole one, he picked one up and held it out to Emma. She paused for a moment before her hand moved forward and took it from him. He could see how much she was struggling, but a reassuring smile from him was all it took for her to take a bite. When she smiled, Will knew things were going to be alright.

Their food arrived a short time later, and Emma surreptitiously cleaned her fork with an alcohol wipe before diving into her plate. Will watched her between bites, and made a note to tell her how proud he was of her when they got home. There was no need to draw attention to themselves here in public.

Over dinner, they chatted about different things. Will told Emma about how the set list for regionals was coming together, and how much Sue was getting on his nerves. Emma told him about some of her appointments (leaving out names, of course) and a few of the therapeutic techniques her therapist had recommended for her to try. Before either one knew it, their plates were empty and Ted was dropping the check. Will's hand went for it instinctively, but Emma was faster. They argued good-naturedly for a moment or two before Emma thrust the bill and her credit card into Ted's hands as he passed.

"Thank you, Emma. Tonight was wonderful." He looked out the window at the darkening twilight. He loved the summer when the days lasted longer and air warmed up, and soon it would be summer and he'd have Emma all to himself. "It's still a little early. You want to catch a movie?" The minute the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back. Her eyes widened in horror at the thought of a germ-filled theater with chewed gum and stale popcorn and seats that had been sat in a hundred times. "Emma, I'm sorry, I didn't think…" she shook her head, indicating she didn't want to talk about the issue here. They were both silent as the check arrived and she signed the tip and her name. He pulled her chair out, letting his hand linger on her back for just a moment before she preceded him out the door.

He tried again to apologize on the ride home, but she was quiet as they pulled into his driveway. Finally, as she shut the car off, he turned toward her fully and directed her eyes to his.

"Come in…please?" She nodded, and he could tell she had been overwhelmed by their night out. He opened the front door, remembering at the last minute to kick his shoes off by the mat by hers. She sat down on his sofa as he stowed his keys and wallet in his room. When he came back out, he could see her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh Emma, honey," he knelt down, resting his hands on her knees. "What's the matter?" He was ready for her tearful confession that a movie theater was just too much too soon right now, and he was fully prepared to apologize again for his rash comment. He was not prepared for her to explode from the couch and nearly bowl him over in her attempt to pace in frustration.

"Me! I'm the matter, Will! We can't even go out for a couple of hours because I turn into a complete basket case if my fork is water spotted. I thought I was okay, but toward the end with all the people and the noise, and then…" she stopped then, her eyes filling with horror at what she had been about to accuse him of.

"I know, and I shouldn't have said it. I'm not too keen on movie theaters myself, so I can only imagine how it must be for you." He had stood by now, but he hadn't moved from his position beside the couch.

"That's just it, Will. Is this how it's going to be? You're not going to get to do anything remotely fun because I'm too scared of the germs. It's not fair to you." She was really getting upset now, and a tear escaped from her eye and rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, that's not even an issue," he told her, taking a firm step toward her. "And you took a _huge _step today, and I'm so proud of you for that." Another step and he was right next to her. "I don't mind eating in, it's cheaper and I get you all to myself." She laughed, finally, and he wiped her tears away. "I love you, and I don't want you to do anything you're not completely comfortable with, okay? Promise me you won't push yourself to do something just because of me." She stared at him for a moment, wondering how in the world anyone could have mistreated this angel of a man. But then, she reminded herself, he wouldn't be here now. So she just took a deep breath and felt her heart rate slow.

"Okay, I promise," she whispered, leaning toward him. He smiled and kissed her head as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How about a movie? I've got musicals," he added in a teasing voice, hoping to entice her into smiling again. When she chuckled he knew she was going to be okay, and he pulled back.

"That sounds fine," she stepped away from him. "I'm going to use your bathroom to freshen up," she grabbed her bag and gestured to her ruined makeup job as he pointed her toward the hallway. As soon as the door closed there was a knock on his front door, and Will wondered who would be calling on him so late. As he looked through the peephole his jaw tightened, and he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

"Bryan," he greeted as he opened the door, standing in the way so the other man couldn't really see in. Bryan was flanked by several boxes, and he ran a hand through his blond hair once before he locked eyes with his old rival.

"Look, Will," he started lamely, "I just…well, I'd already bought these with Sue's money, and it would be irresponsible of me as a school board member to just let the money go to waste. So here," he gestured toward the boxes full of show choir materials with one hand while simultaneously trying to peer over Will's shoulder. Will, however, stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind him.

"Look, Bryan, I appreciate it. But right now, I don't want to discuss anything school related. I want to discuss your inappropriate behavior toward Emma." Bryan laughed at him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Will, I have a loving wife at home. What makes you think I said or did anything inappropriate to Miss Pillsbury?" It was a challenge, and Will drew himself up a little higher.

"Because she told me," was all Will said. Bryan gave Will a smug smile, knowing he'd been found out but not really caring.

"Are you going to punch me now? Tell me to stay away from your girl?" Will relaxed in his stance then, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"No, I'm not," Will answered finally. "Because we're adults, and we can handle things like adults. We're not in high school anymore, Bryan. You have your wife at home, and so much going for you right now. I really think _Les Mis_ is going to be a good thing for you, and I wish you the best. But you need to get over this immature need to ruin other people's lives." Bryan took a step back off the porch, his arms falling loosely by his side.

"Look Scheuster," Bryan bit out, "I don't really need a lecture on how to live my life from you. You're two years younger than me and divorced." Will let the empty insult roll off of him as he shook his head.

"And I'm okay with that," Will said, not really bothering to inform Bryan that the divorce wasn't really final yet. "Thanks for the stuff," he glanced at the boxes, "but understand that I am happy with my life right now. Should you – or anyone – try to get in the way…" he left the threat hanging, but there was understanding in Bryan's eyes as he turned and walked to his massive vehicle. Will watched until the Hummer turned the corner, then opened the door. It took him only a few minutes to lug the boxes into the foyer, leaving them there to go through later.

"Everything okay?" Emma emerged from the bathroom as he sat back down on the couch.

"Huh? Oh yeah, never better," he smiled, taking in her appearance. She'd washed her face clean of makeup and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and she removed her green blouse to reveal a white baby doll tee underneath. Her skirt had been replaced with black track pants, and Will wondered just what else she could fit into her purse.

"What?" she smiled as she took a seat next to him, fitting nicely into the crook of his arm. He laughed and kissed the side of her head quickly before pressing play on the DVD remote.

"I feel over-dressed," he joked, earning him an elbow to his ribs. He feigned injury for a moment as she laughed at him. "Seriously," he stood up, "I'm gonna go put something else on since you changed our dress code without telling me." She waved off his sarcasm, turning her attention to the opening credits of _Guys and Dolls_ as he disappeared into his bedroom. Her mind replayed the muted conversation she'd overheard from the front porch and she grinned. One day, she would have to tell him just how thin his walls really were. But for tonight, she was going to just enjoy being with the man she loved.


	11. Down

Okay, so some of you may have noticed a _slight _bump in the rating. If not, you have now. Trust me, it's well deserved. Also, I'm debating on opening the next chapter as a continuation, but that would be a definite bump to an M rating. So I guess I'm asking if that's what people want. And for those people who will inevitably complain about moving too fast, don't worry. They won't go all the way just yet, but a young couple in love will do some…exploring. Just a thought. Leave me yours in a review ;)

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_"Put on a show, I wanna see how you lose control." - Jay Sean_

"You know, sometimes our principal worries me," Emma told Will over lunch in his office. He had just recapped the morning's meeting with Figgins and Tina and, after an initial laugh, she responded just as he thought she would.

"How's Tina doing?" Will took a bite of his grilled chicken and let out an exhausted hum through his nose.

"She called her mom and got a change of clothes, but I'm really worried. She's been moping around in the halls; even Artie can't get a smile out of her." He felt his appetite slipping away but forced a few more bites down. They had longer practices for the next three weeks to get ready for Regionals, and he wouldn't get another chance to eat until almost eight.

"I'll talk to her after lunch. What did her parents say?" Emma was having a simple fruit salad, pre-washed, and Will marveled at how she picked at each small piece, piercing it with finality when she decided its time had come.

"They're upset, naturally. But I told them to give me some time to work it out before they took it to the school board. Tina's got enough on her plate as it is."

"You mean with glee?" Emma zeroed in on his meaning immediately, and he flushed. "Will, no one is going to think less of you because you're worried about your team. I just want you to remember that she's going through something serious here, and I think you should be sensitive to her right now." His eyes hardened at her implication, and his tone darkened.

"So you think I'll be more concerned about how this will affect our performance rather than the well being of one of my students?" She paused for a moment at his defensive tone, and her shock must have been on her face because he sat back in chair and ran a hand through his hair. "Emma, I'm sorry…"

"No, Will, I want you to think about why you got defensive just now. You wouldn't have snapped at me if you weren't thinking about it and beating yourself up over it." He stood up suddenly and paced in the small space behind his desk.

"Am I a horrible person? God, I should be talking to Tina right now, making sure she's alright, and instead I'm worried about some competition. I just…I want to win." He admitted out loud as he looked at his shoes, unsure of how she would respond.

"That's a lot of pressure to put on these kids, Will," Emma straightened a pencil on his desk more out of habit than necessity, but that little gesture told Will just how horrible he was being. He sat back down and caught her eyes earnestly.

"Listen, I'm sorry for unloading like that; I've just got a lot on my plate. And you're right," he sighed. "I should be focusing on having fun..."

"Hey, it's not a problem," she told him with a small smile. "It's why I'm here, anyway. And everyone wants to win, Will. _Especially_ those kids." He knew in that moment that she was too good for him, and he sent up a silent prayer of thanks.

"No," he stood up and walked around the desk. "It is a problem. I don't need to be taking this out on you, and I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" She stood up as well, looking into his eyes. She knew that his relationship with Terri had left him lacking in some areas, but she didn't realize just how much damage the woman had done until that moment.

"Will, this is what people in relationships do. We talk about things that bother us, about things that we want. If you need to vent your frustrations then I'll listen, and I'll even offer you advice if you want. We're not going to agree on everything, but I don't want you keeping anything to yourself just because you feel like you don't want to burden me." She reached out for his hand and held on tightly. "Don't think for a minute that anything you tell me is going to make me love you less or make me so mad at you that I don't want you around." He simply stared at her for a moment, completely dumbfounded at her speech. With a quick glance to make sure his door was completely closed, he pulled her against him fiercely.

"Can you come over tonight?" he whispered into her hair. "I know glee rehearsal runs late, but I want to hold you just like this without interruption and –" the bell rang, punctuating his point, and he let her go. "Eight-thirty?" She nodded and packed up her fruits, popping one last grape into her mouth before she walked out the door.

After several hours of discussing Lady Gaga and Rachel's overwhelming number of ideas, Will let himself into his apartment filled with exhaustion and contentment. He'd managed to achieve both of his goals in one fell swoop, and he felt like Tina was really going to be okay after seeing her so enthusiastic about their newest assignment. And with Rachel hard at work on a Gaga number, Will knew that the next few days were going to be exciting.

The knock on his door confused him for a moment, but then his mind replayed lunch and he jumped up off the couch. Emma was standing there in the same outfit she'd worn to school – probably another order from her therapist – and Will didn't hesitate to drag her through the door and into his arms.

"You seem much better," she commented as they sat down on the couch. He recapped the glee rehearsal, and made sure to include Tina's excitement as well in the retelling. Emma smiled at him in a way that warmed his heart, and they sat there simply gazing at one another until his stomach interrupted them.

"Gosh, Will, was lunch the last thing you ate?" He nodded sheepishly and she quickly moved away from him toward the kitchen. "And I guess you just got home," she added as she stepped over his bookbag. He grimaced in embarrassment as he stooped down to pick it up.

"Sorry, I just sat down and then I didn't want to get back up. It's been a long day." She stopped her movement and turned around.

"Oh, are you tired? Should I go?" she stepped back toward the door and he took a step to intercept her.

"No! Don't go. I just need a few minutes to relax and I'll be fine." Emma pursed her lips and looked around, her eyes falling from the hallway to the kitchen and back again.

"Why don't you go get a shower? I'll make something for dinner."

"You don't have to do that," he protested, but inside he was thrilled at her offer. He'd practically had to beg Terri to make dinner for him on his late nights, and most of the time he'd end up scrounging for food anyway.

"I want to," she told him with a modest smile.

"You are an angel," he praised her, kissing her quickly as he passed her on his way toward the bedroom. "I won't be long." She watched until the door closed behind him. She forced herself to focus on finding food instead of the man on the other side of the door, who was probably getting undressed at this very moment. Shaking her head clear, she continued into the kitchen to distract herself.

As she rummaged through his cabinets, her eyes fell on certain items that made her smile. There was a large jar of Jiffy peanut butter next to a loaf of wheat bread, and a whole bunch of bananas sitting in a bowl on the counter. She opened the fridge, fully intent on ignoring the large gallon of milk that she was sure Will had in there, but as the light came on she was surprised to find the top shelf rather barren. Further inspection discovered no dairy products of any kind, and her heart hammered in her chest as her mind flew back months ago when they'd shared a sandwich and talked about his life.

"_God, I haven't had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a really long time. My wife's allergic to nuts," he admitted as she pulled a perfectly square Tupperware container from her bag._

"_Oh," she smiled and began unpacking her sandwich. "Well, that's really sweet though. Not eating something because she can't. It's very nice." He'd smiled modestly, but she could see even then how he'd soaked up the praise as if he were starving._

She snapped out of her memory and shut the door, but not before grabbing the grape jelly. She smiled to herself as she made two sandwiches, her heart singing as she tried to hum along.

Fifteen minutes later, he emerged in loose cargo pants and a black t-shirt with a hand towel slung around his neck. He leaned against the wall, watching her as she hummed some generic song and finished cutting the crusts off each sandwich. Deciding he probably shouldn't startle her while she was holding a knife, he took a few steps back and made a little more noise as he entered. Smiling at him, she handed over his plate wordlessly, and he wondered briefly at the look in her eyes. But something told him not to question it just yet, and they ate in relative silence standing in his kitchen.

When they were finally seated on his couch with the news muted on the television did she finally speak. "Will, why don't you have any dairy in your fridge?" His face flushed as he realized he'd been caught, and he tried to stammer through an explanation that he hoped didn't make him sound completely pathetic. He knew she'd find out someday, but he honestly didn't know how she'd react. She'd been upset at the thought of him giving anything up for her, but he knew in his heart he would live on bread and water if she asked him.

"Emma?" she hadn't said anything yet, and it was beginning to worry him. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, and he could see her mind processing everything. When their eyes locked, however, he was taken aback at the emotion she displayed. Without warning she descended on him, attacking him with her lips in a way he'd only ever dreamed about before.

Her unexpected assault forced him back onto the couch, and he felt her stretch out along his body, her legs tangling with his as their lips continued to battle for dominance. Her hands were all over him, spreading across his chest one minute, then traveling down to his hips where she bunched his shirt into her fists tightly. He slid effortlessly sideways then rotated so that she was underneath him, never losing their connection as he let his tongue dart out and taste her. When his hand brushed across her stomach she moaned, and he took the opportunity to deepen their kiss.

Tongues tangled as her hands moved from his back to his abs, her fingernails ghosting over the muscles. It was his turn to moan with pleasure, and he felt her relax as she realized how much she could do for him. He knew that was a big concern for her – not measuring up to some standard – just as he knew the physical aspect of relationships was entirely foreign to her. But he was willing to show her just how good it could be.

* * *

How's that for mean? Anyway, I've got a great idea for this next part, but only if people want to see it. This _will_ be bumped to **M** if that happens, so let me know!


	12. In My Head

Okay, so in light of the overwhelming response I received, here is the continuation of the last chapter. I have also taken into consideration those of you who thought it might be moving a little fast, so this is a very light M rating, or extremely T.

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_"I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes. You'll see a side of love you've never known." - Jason Derulo_

Will hovered over the woman he loved, marveling in the way her hands were roaming all over his torso. She had been bolder tonight than he'd ever seen her, and he was loving it. They had been in this position once before, and she'd pushed him away because she'd been hesitant and uncertain. But now she was becoming more assertive, and Will wondered if they both hadn't needed the separation to grow.

He felt her slowing down a little, and he pulled away to give her a reassuring smile, letting her know that he would do anything for her. He ran his hand through her red hair lovingly, framing her face with his palm as he kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"Will?" her voice was both questioning and wanting, and he couldn't resist chuckling a little at her small frown.

"Emma, my darling, sweet Emma. _Usted es una belleza_," he whispered to her. "_Esta noche, quiero darle alegrìa_." He watched her nose scrunch up in confusion, and he kissed it as they laughed together.

"You should really teach me some Spanish. It sounds _very_ sexy when you speak it, and I want to know what you're saying." She couldn't believe her own ears, and she almost flush in embarrassment before she saw the effect her words had on him. His eyes darkened from warm hazel to swirling brown, and she marveled at the thought of having that power over him.

"I have a very easy one for you to learn," he began, kissing her neck softly and eliciting a gasp from her. "_Te amo._" He gazed at her with such adoration that she didn't even need the translation. She felt tears in her eyes as she pressed a hand to his cheek.

"_Te amo_," her accent was a little off, but Will didn't care as he dove in for another kiss. She responded for a moment before pulling back a little. "Will…I want to…" she bit her lip in uncertainty, but forced herself to finish her thoughts. Her therapist had been working with her to take more control in her life, and she wanted to show Will how committed she was.

"What is it, love?"

"I want to feel you…touch you, I mean. I'm not ready for…sex," she dropped her voice harshly for the word, as if saying it aloud was forbidden, "but I want to show you how much I love you."

"Emma, you don't have anything to prove," he explained softly.

"I know that, I just need to…I mean I am a little nervous but that doesn't mean I don't want to…" she was getting a little frustrated, but not with him. She knew she had a tendency to ramble about things when she got nervous, and it was currently ruining whatever romantic mood they'd had going. Finally, she just groaned and cupped his face with both hands. "Kiss me, Will." He happily obliged, moaning softly as he felt her hands move to his shoulders and chest. He swore to himself to keep his head, to let tonight be all about her and not get out of control, but the way she was touching him was very effective at rendering him unable to complete a coherent thought.

When her hands began to drift away from him, he broke their kiss and reached out to gently grab one, guiding it around his body to sit lightly on his backside. He opened his eyes to gauge her reaction, and she chose that moment to squeeze him hard. His eyes slammed shut with pleasure, and he dove forward to kiss her hungrily. She grabbed him a little harder, forcing his hips down into hers, and she gasped at the friction it created. He was already hardening for her, and the feeling of him through clothing was sending her senses into overdrive.

He pulled away from her then to watch her face as he pressed down again, more softly this time. Her eyes fluttered and she took a shaky breath as her other hand snaked down from his shoulder to his lower back. With both hands she pulled him to her, and he rocked forward just a little to test the waters.

"Oh," she breathed into his neck, and he felt himself become even warmer. He loved that she was willing to explore a bit with him, but he knew that they were rapidly approaching a critical point here. Remembering his promise, he took a few calming breaths and mapped out what he was going to do next. He knew what he wanted to do, but he had to get Emma to agree. He knew she wanted to, judging by her earlier words and her actions since then, but he didn't know how to go about bringing it up.

Wordlessly, he kissed her eyelids softly as he pulled himself away from her and stood. He chuckled a bit as she gave him a small pout, but he grabbed her hand to pull her up.

"Will, what –" he silenced her with a finger on her lips and she could only follow as he led her through his bedroom into the bathroom. He quickly turned the shower on before returning to her side.

"I want to do something for you," he said simply, his hand reaching out to test the water temperature. "Will you let me?" She wasn't sure where he was going with this, but her heart was thudding in her chest at the thought of what he was doing – of what she thought he was planning. He moved to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders as he gently massaged the tension away. "I know you're nervous about elevating our relationship; I am, too. But I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything to please me. I want tonight to be about you, _all_ about you. I want to show you what love can feel like, how pleasurable it can be. Can I do that for you?" With only a moment's hesitation, she nodded. She felt him smiling into her shoulder as he embraced her from behind. She could still feel his desire for her against her leg, but she ignored it as she felt his hands creeping up from her hips to her stomach and higher.

"I know you hate to be messy, but sometimes love is messy. When it's good, it gets hot…" he nibbled a bit on her earlobe, his hot mouth making her breath quicken. "And when you get hot, you get sweaty…" his hands were cupping her now, and she arched back into him at the new sensations she was experiencing. "But if we start in the shower, a place where you're already so comfortable, then I think we'll do just fine." She whimpered her agreement as he suckled her neck, his body radiating a heat she'd only ever read about.

She trembled as he meticulously unfastened her skirt, letting it slide down to the floor. When she stepped away from him to remove her necklace he swept his t-shirt over his head in one quick motion. She turned back and froze, drinking in the sight before her. He smiled at her blatant stare, but when she blushed he stepped forward and kissed her hard. His hands slipped underneath her blouse, and she reveled in the feeling of Will's hands on her bare skin – a sensation she'd only ever dreamed about before.

Steam was starting to rise from the shower, so Will stepped away from her. "I'll leave you to the rest of this," he gestured toward her clothes, "but I'll be right back." He darted out of the bathroom, and Emma was frustrated to find her hands shaking as she removed her blouse and undergarments. She folded them hastily and tossed them on the countertop before staring at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn't completely certain about what they were doing, but she knew she couldn't let her fears stand in the way of her – no, _their_ – happiness. Her therapist had been through several calming exercises with her, and she ran through a few of them now. She took a deep breath and looked herself right in the eye.

"I love him. _He loves me_," she emphasized to her reflection. "I am in control." She repeated the line a few more times before she felt ready enough to step into the spray.

His water pressure was perfect, and she stood there for a moment just enjoying the gentle massage his five in one shower head was providing. She heard movement on the other side of the curtain, and she only had a split second to think before Will slid in beside her. He was wearing dark green swim trunks, and Emma let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. As much as she loved this man, and as much as she loved feeling him touch her, she wasn't ready to elevate their relationship that much.

It took her a few moments to realize he was staring at her, and she was sure she would be beet red if the water hadn't been so hot already. Even through the steam she could see the effect she was having on him, and for a moment they said nothing. Then, Will stepped forward and brought her hands up to his lips to kiss her palms tenderly.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured. "Gorgeous, in fact. And I love you so much." Her eyes fell shut at his sweet words, and she stood there letting him work his magic. She could feel the beginnings of a panic attack rising as the realization of where they were sunk in, but as he continued whispering words – in both english and spanish – to her and kissing his way up her arms, her heart rate evened out to a rapid pace and her breathing became deeper.

Finally, he reached her face and she opened her eyes to the most exhilarating sight she'd ever witnessed. Water droplets cascaded down his shoulders and chest, forming wavy rivulets over the taut muscles of his chest and abdomen. Her hands snaked out of their own accord and followed the trail of a few drops down to his navel, and she watched as his eyes closed again in pleasure as she drew her nails across his stomach. As her fingers drifted around his midsection, he visibly jumped and she snatched her hands back as if they were burned.

"Sorry," she whispered, feeling wholly inadequate and ashamed. But Will's look was determined as he grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his waist.

"No, you're fine," he assured her, "I'm just…a bit ticklish is all." She smiled in the light of this new information, and she filed it away for later use. But her mind returned quickly to the fact that she was completely out of her element here, and Will caught her look almost immediately. "Emma, there's nothing to be ashamed about, love. That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this for you; to get you a little more familiar with…all of this."

"One of the reasons?" she asked, her mind trying to focus on anything except the fact that she was standing naked in the shower with another person almost literally on top of her. She gasped in shock as he grabbed her hips and spun her around to pull her back against his chest. The water was hitting her thighs, but she didn't even register it as his hands began to roam across her front.

"_Quiero darte placer_," he whispered as his deft fingers slid over the curves of her body, causing her breath to quicken with pleasure. She didn't even ask for the translation as her hands sought something to do. She settled on resting them lightly on his forearms, marveling at the feeling of the warm water dribbling between their flesh. His mouth descended on her neck again, and she felt a wave of ecstasy as his teeth nibbled her flesh lightly. He turned them so his back was to the spray and backed them up a bit, letting the water wash away whatever trail he left on her skin.

His hands never traveled lower than her stomach, but Emma began to feel something building up within her, an ache to feel his hands all over her body. She pressed her body back against his, and gasped only slightly as he cupped her again.

"Will," she whispered, her head falling back to his shoulder.

"You tell me what feels good," he spoke low in her ear, his husky tone sending shivers through her body.

"_Oh_…that…Will…" He smiled at the thought of the normally so reserved and put-together counselor melting to nonsense in his hands, but he knew he was just getting started. He was going to prove to her that he was man she saw in her dreams, and that what they had was better than anything else on the earth.

"Tell me what you want," he coaxed. "Sometimes talking about it heightens the stimulation." He could feel her heartbeat pounding, and knew she was beginning to feel out of her depth. So, as the ever-supportive teacher he was, he began to demonstrate.

"Does it feel good when I rub you?" he asked, demonstrating the movement and eliciting a stifled groan from her. She nodded against his shoulder, and he took advantage of the movement to snag an earlobe between his teeth gently. He suckled and nibbled her neck for a moment as his hands continued their work, and she was almost shaking with pleasure as he blew softly on the area he'd just ravished.

"That was…I liked that," she admitted softly, and Will gave a silent cheer for her.

"What do you want me to do next?" he enticed her, letting his hands fall back to her hips and grip the soft flesh there.

"My legs," she whispered finally, "I need you to touch me." He obliged her request and let his hands slide down her hips to her thighs. She leaned back against him a little more, and he took her weight easily as his palms caressed her thighs and hips. He let his fingers dance across the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh, and she felt the ache within growing into a small flame.

"Will…please…" she was begging now, and he hadn't even really touched her yet. Reaching up behind him, he detached the shower head from the wall and turned the dial so the water was coming out in a gentle jet. He brought it down her front, making sure to pay attention to her sensitized areas. His left hand returned to her body as his right slid slowly down her stomach to the hollow between her thighs.

"Spread your legs for me, Em," he whispered, running his palm over her chest. He nudged his knee between her and pushed her legs apart, and she jolted as the hot spray hit her most sensitive area. "Relax, baby," he gently massaged her shoulder with his free hand as the water continued to pulse against her.

"Oh god," she breathed, feeling her knees beginning to weaken. The flame that had been building in her belly was erupting into a fire, and she reached one hand up behind her to grasp at his neck for support. He wrapped his arm around her middle as the steady stream of water continued to massage her and press into her center.

"You feel that, Em?" he smiled as her lips parted, letting out her breath in short pants. "This is only the beginning of how it could be."

"Will, I need…" she let out a soft cry and dug her fingers into his neck as the water jet hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"There," Will whispered, "that right there is your sweet spot, Em," he turned the water so that it hit her again, and she stifled a groan in the back of her throat. He watched her face as her pleasure rose into an inferno, and he felt her stomach muscles tighten as she crashed over the edge, letting out a cry of his name. He moved the water quickly and put it back on the wall, knowing her first few times would leave her overly sensitive to touch. His left arm was still holding her up, and she turned her head toward him when she finished trembling with ecstasy.

"Gosh, Will, that was…" she didn't finish sentence as his mouth crashed down on hers. She turned and her arms snaked around his neck as he pulled her against him, and she gasped into his mouth as her center pressed against his erection through his shorts. Without a second thought, she wrapped one leg around his calf to pull herself closer to him. He moaned as she deepened the kiss, and he felt her trembling as his hands gripped her hips. Before he did something he'd regret, he placed both hands on her face and stroked her cheeks lovingly as he slowed them down.

He broke the kiss to grab a washcloth, lathering body gel onto the coarse material before he ran it up and down her arms. She watched in reverence as he knelt down and tended to each leg, pressing a heated kiss to the inside of each of her thighs as the water washed away the soap.

Only when the slippery suds covered her entirely did he grab the shower head again, this time turning it to a rinse setting to cleanse her completely. She closed her eyes as he ministered to her body, washing away the day's grime as well as easing whatever residual anxiety she had about what just occurred. She didn't realize how wonderful being with another person could feel, and she was happy that she was with Will at this moment.

"What are you smiling about?" she heard Will's voice break through the steady whisper of the shower. He had moved the water to her head, and she relaxed even more as his free hand moved to the nape of her neck. She let out a moan as his fingers worked through her hair, letting the water completely soak through each tress.

"Oh Will, that feels good," she leaned against him completely, earning a laugh from him as she hummed into his shoulder. He replaced the shower head and grabbed the shampoo, working up a good lather before returning his fingers to her hair. He carefully worked through every tangle and massaged her scalp as she moaned her approval. Inhaled the scent of his shampoo in her hair as he rinsed, making sure to remove every trace of shampoo from her head.

"Em, I left some clean clothes on the counter top next to the towel." Her eyes opened as her brow furrowed in confusion. He kissed the wrinkles away and ran his thumbs over her shoulders. "I need to stay and take a really cold shower right now." His eyes darted down quickly, then back to her face as it morphed from confusion to understanding. He didn't fail to notice the way her eyes glanced downward before she stepped back from him.

She was very aware of herself as she locked eyes with him, reaching out her hand. He grasped it firmly, and she turned it over and pressed a kiss into his palm, her eyes never leaving his.

"Thank you, Will," she brought his hand to her chest, holding it to her heart for a moment before releasing it and stepping out of the shower. She dried off quickly and dressed in an old pair of his sweatpants and a WMHS t-shirt he'd probably had since his high school days. Her legs felt heavy as she shut the door behind her, her mind a whirl of activity as the realization of the huge step she'd taken sunk in.

She towel-dried her hair as she began humming a tune, giggling a little as she heard Will yelp a little as he turned the knob from hot to cold. She made her way out of the bedroom, pausing momentarily to look at the pictures of his parents on the wall in the hallway.

She'd seen them briefly at the Acafellas concerts, but she'd never actually been introduced. Will had his father's kind, hazel eyes, but that adorable chin dimple and charming smile was all his mother. She knew very little about the Schuesters except that Mrs. Schuester was rarely seen without an alcoholic drink in her hand. She wondered briefly about Will's childhood, and how different it had probably been from hers with no siblings and no real traumatic experience to get over.

She heard the water shut off in the bathroom, and she finished her trek to the living room quickly. She sat on the couch completely still, not sure at all about the protocol after what they'd just done. Will emerged moments later with a pair of sleeping pants on under his black-shirt.

"There you are," he crooned, sitting right next to her as she scooted over to make room. "How are you feeling?" She heard in that moment just how terrified he'd been of taking that next step, and she couldn't bear it. He'd given her the most wonderful gift she'd ever received, and she grabbed his hand quickly to let him know.

"Oh Will, I just…gosh, I really don't…" she took a breath and caught his eyes. They were warm, and they danced in the soft light of the tableside lamp as he smiled at her.

"Em," he placed a cool hand on her arm, and she wondered just how cold he'd had to make that shower.

"I'm sorry, Will, I'm ruining the moment." She made a move to stand, but he was up beside her so quickly it startled her.

"No, Emma, you're not. You're just…" he paused then, taking a breath before continuing. "I'm scared, too, Em." That blatant admission seemed to melt the last of her resolve. She buried her face into his shoulder and inhaled his scent. She was pleasantly surprised to find that it was more overwhelming than usual, and she attributed it to the fact that, at the moment, they probably smelled the same.

"Will, I don't want you to think…I mean, I understand if you think it's not a good idea or that it's moving too fast. I mean, we've only technically been going out for a couple of weeks, but we had sort of a head start and I think that –" Will cut her off with a kiss that left her a little weak, and he gladly wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.

"Just ask me, Emma." He seemed to know what she was going to say, so she just took a deep breath.

"Can I stay here tonight?" The smile he gave her rivaled any she'd ever seen on his face, and he pulled her to him.

"You read my mind," he joked. "I've dreamed about falling asleep with you in my arms." She let out a breath and pulled away from him, stifling a yawn. "Come on." He took her hand and led her back to his room. "I need to turn off the lights and lock the door. You just climb in and I'll be back in a flash."

She watched him disappear and she suddenly felt very subconscious as she stared at his bed. Everything was just as she remembered from the last time she'd been here, and she shook off thoughts of that disastrous night. She had run out of his house, leaving him both completely aroused and confused. She hadn't contacted him at all, and ignored his phone calls, completely sure that he thought her a horrible tease. But he had proved to her once again on that Monday just why she'd fallen in love with him in the first place.

She walked over to his window and looked down at the street below. It was late, almost ten-thirty, and she was grateful neither of them had to get up particularly early tomorrow.

"Thought you'd be in bed," his voice startled her, but she didn't turn around. She felt him move up behind her and take her in his arms, and she leaned back against him.

"I was just thinking about how far we've come in just a few months. It's hard to believe that a few months ago I was about to get married and you…" she trailed off, kicking herself for bringing up what was probably such a painful subject. "Sorry," she trailed off lamely, but he just squeezed her and kissed the side of her head.

"I never really talked about it with anyone," he admitted after a few moments of silence. "I know I should have, but things with glee were happening so fast, and then you and me…I just never got around to it."

"I can see if my therapist has any openings." She was trying to be helpful, but she felt him tense up behind her and wished she could take it back. Instead, she plowed ahead in full counselor mode"I just thought that you should probably try and talk to someone about it, and I know it would be weird talking about Terri and everything with me, considering where we are now." She was rambling now, and it seemed the more she talked the less sense she made, but he just reached up softly and laid his fingers over her mouth.

"Shh," he inhaled the scent of his shampoo in her hair and she felt the muscles in his arms relaxing. "I don't want to talk about that right now. Right now, I just want to lie down with you and hold you all night." She followed him to the bed and watched as he turned down the comforter and sheets. He stood back and let her climb in first, smiling as she immediately scooted over to his side of the bed. He slipped in beside her and pulled the covers over both of them. Neither moved for a moment, then Emma slid over and tucked herself neatly between his chest and arm.

"Is this okay?" she asked quietly, listening to the rumble in his chest as he laughed softly. He reached up with his free hand and turned off the light.

"_Perfecto_," he whispered. He took one last deep breath before relaxing his entire body. She followed suit, and he lay there listening to the sound of her sleeping for a moment before closing his eyes and following her under.


	13. Young

Thank to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. M ratings always make me nervous (well, writing them, anyhow) and I appreciate all the kind words and constructive criticism. Here's a whole boat load of Wemma fluff for you as a reward. Alex is making it hard to do anything but stay in and write, so expect another chapter sometime this weekend...

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"_Man I don't know where the time goes, but it sure goes fast…we were brave, we were crazy, we were mostly young." – Kenny Chesney_

Emma finished the last of her paperwork for the day and took a deep breath. The end of the school year always brought on more work than anyone ever wanted, but her overly organizational ways had her finishing tasks as others around her were scrambling. She tucked a folder into her cabinet and stood, grabbing her cardigan and purse. She wiped her desk once – a step forward from the thorough cleaning her departure would normally require – and locked the door behind her.

After a wonderful weekend of just getting reacquainted, she and Will had agreed that during the week they would keep their relationship low key – no middle of the week dates, no PDA at school. They had lunch together in the lounge just like before, and Will would sometimes come to her office on his free period to talk about glee or, if the door was closed, his impending divorce.

She knew he hadn't worn his wedding ring since he filed for divorce months ago, but she also knew he kept it in a box on the top of his dresser at home. She helped him through his struggles as best she could but, as she constantly told him, she had a bit of a biased opinion on the matter. He'd politely declined her offer to talk to her therapist; according to Will, she was the only therapy he needed.

Her heart fluttered as she remembered the morning she'd first awakened in his arms. At first, they'd simply laid there in each other's arms, reveling in the comfortable silence. He'd hopped out of bed to brush his teeth quickly before returning and smothering her with kisses for the better part of an hour. They'd cooked breakfast together and then, over toast and eggs, he'd talked to her about Terri and the baby and how utterly worthless he'd felt the night it had all come out.

Saturday had been full of tears of hurt and acceptance, and she caressed him and made him feel able to just cry over what he'd lost. Dinner had been simple and they'd fallen asleep on the couch watching old movies.

Sunday morning was a quick breakfast and a light talk about glee and what they were planning for regionals. The rules had just been announced, and the rumor of celebrity judges had been confirmed. Though no one knew just who was going to be there for fear of set lists being tweaked to gain favor, Will was excited for the kids to perform in front of professionals. Unfortunately, the rules were also requiring a theme for the set lists, so the three songs the kids had decided on were out the window.

They'd been working on it for a few days, but neither of them could come up with anything that seemed to work. Now it was Thursday and Emma just wanted to go home, eat something small, and take a long, relaxing bath.

"Miss P!" she heard Mercedes' voice and she looked up from digging through her bag for her keys. The sight before her made her stop in her tracks completely. Every member of the glee club was dressed in an outrageously ridiculous costume, and she couldn't help but giggle. Will was grinning as he coasted Artie to a stop in front of her.

"What's going on?" she asked, taking in each wild outfit. "Is there a costume ball I'm not aware of?"

"No," Finn answered, attracting far more attention to himself in a brashly red dress. "It's just our glee assignment for the week," he looked at his club mates before laying a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It's about standing up for yourself, whoever you are." Emma gave them an impressed look, then turned to Will. He held his hands up in front of him and shrugged.

"Don't look at me…it all started because of Tina. She discovered a whole new side of herself as well as inspired the rest of us to explore our wild sides a bit."

"You know, Mr. Schue," Artie looked over his black pleather shoulder pads, "I seem to remember you telling us once that we're all a team."

"Yeah, where's your insane outfit?" Tina chimed in.

"I left it in the phone booth in case someone needed rescuing," he deadpanned, earning eye rolls and groans from the group.

"Can we go change, now?" Puck asked, trying to scratch an unreachable itch on his back. Matt clapped him hard, both to silence him and help him out. Will laughed and nodded.

"Yes, go, rehearsal's over. We're not meeting again until Tuesday, so keep practicing your runs and harmonics." He stepped away so Artie could join the departing group. Finally, only Rachel was left.

"Mr. Schuester," she started determinedly, "We desperately need to start practicing for regionals. Now that we know the rules –"

"I'm working on it, Rach. Just relax this weekend, have fun." She gave him a look of confusion before storming off down the hall. Emma laughed at the expression on Will's face as they watched her leave.

"She's certainly dramatic," Emma noted, and Will chuckled.

"You have no idea," he looked sidelong at her as she gave him an incredulous look. "Or maybe you do. What are you doing tonight?" Emma sighed mostly teasingly, but he just flashed a charming smile. "Can't blame a guy for trying. Walk you to your car?" She nodded and allowed him to take the files she was carrying as they continued down the hall. He finished up what he needed to in the choir room, then retrieved his things from his office before joining her in the hall.

"How's the end of the year stuff going?" he asked, resisting the urge to reach out and grab her hand like a love struck teenager.

"Hectic, but manageable. I don't know how people who procrastinate get it all done in time."

"Ah, but that's part of the fun," he teased. "Waiting until the absolute last minute to do that assignment for class, then the frantic rush to complete it before the bell rings. Good times," he laughed as his eyes gained a faraway look, and she knew he was remembering his times in these very halls as a teenager.

"What were you like then?" she asked. "I mean, I know you were in glee club and you dated Terri, but other than that…" He held open the door for her and let her precede him out the door.

"Well then, I know what we're doing tomorrow night," he said finally. "You come over to my place. We'll eat and pull out my old high school box." He opened her car door for her and let her sit before he leaned down and stole a kiss.

"Will," she protested weakly as he pulled away. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't mad at him, but he apologized anyway.

"I couldn't resist. See you tomorrow. Drive safe. I love you." He dropped his voice to a whisper at the last and shut her door, not missing the endearing look she gave him through her window. He waved as she drove off, resigning himself to a night of pizza, beer, and Spanish quizzes.

Friday was a blur of final reviews and signatures, and when the bell rang the students were surprised to see their teacher out the door before anyone else. Finn and Puck sitting the back row just smirked to each other, but said nothing as they gathered their things and got ready to leave.

Will raced down the hall, skimming by cheerleaders and dodging jocks. He halted momentarily by Emma's office, sad to see a young freshman weeping into her hands as Emma tried her best to console her. He caught her eye and held up six fingers, and she nodded to let him know she understood before he waved and continued on his trek out the door. He smiled to himself as he caught Emma laying a hand on the girl's back out of the corner of his eye, and secretly praised her once again for her strides in overcoming her fears.

Dinner was easy enough – baked potatoes and a salad – so he opened the hall closet and grabbed the step stool. There were several printer boxes on the top shelf that hadn't seen the light of day in many years, and he coughed as dust drifted down in the dim light of the single bulb. After a few boxes – and two more coughing fits, he really needed to dust – he found his high school box. He brought it down and cleaned it off as best he could before setting it on the coffee table. He hadn't opened that box in what seemed like forever, and he was suddenly very afraid of what he and Emma would find in there.

Before he could talk himself into talking her out of this, the oven dinged and the doorbell rang. He dashed to the door and unbolted it before running to the kitchen. He heard the door open as he pulled the potatoes out of the oven, and the soft padding of socked feet on his carpet.

"Will?" her sweet voice made him smile involuntarily, and he turned to just look at her. "What?" she asked, looking behind her for a second before turning back. "What are you smiling about?" He set the hot pan down on the stove and let them cool before striding over to pull her into his arms.

"This," he answered, leaning down for a kiss. Her hand gripped the back of his neck lightly, and they stood there for a moment just locked in embrace. After a few more seconds, Will pulled away and smoothed her hair away from her face. "Hi."

"Hello," she laughed, pushing away from him. "Potatoes?" She moved around him to start on the salad, which had been laid out just for her to prepare as he finished up with the main course.

"It was easy, and I was craving an overstuffed mound of starch. How was work?" She knew he was asking about the crying girl, and she sighed.

"Sometimes freshman don't realize how stressful finals can be; she was just struggling in one of her classes. I talked to her teacher and got her some extra credit work she can do, but I doubt she will."

"Procrastinator?" he teased, remembering their conversation from yesterday.

"Hmm," she agreed as she shredded the lettuce by hand. "You left in a hurry."

"I had some errands to run. I was going to stop in and tell you but…" he made a general gesture and she nodded as she topped off the salad. He cut into the potatoes and put one on each plate. They finished preparing dinner in a companionable silence, but when she turned toward the table he stopped her.

"We're going to eat in the living room tonight, like a picnic." She stared at him for a moment, completely in shock, before shaking her head.

"Will, I don't think –"

"Come on, Em," he coaxed, "I got my high school box out and everything. I thought we could eat and rifle through it." She was frozen for just a moment, but as soon as she looked at his encouraging smile, she relented.

"Okay," she breathed, following him out to the living room. He set a couch pillow on the floor next to the coffee table and sat down on it, handing Emma one to do the same. She hesitated for only a moment before joining him on the other side of the table. She'd managed to convince him over the weekend that - as sweet as it was - he didn't need to give up dairy just for her, and she only grimaced a little as he mixed the butter, sour cream, and bacon bits into the potato.

"Go ahead," he nodded toward the box, and she took a bite of salad before pulling off the top of the printer box. The first things she pulled out were old annuals, and he sighed in mock embarrassment as she opened the freshman book.

"Oh, look at you!" she cried, covering her mouth with her hand as she found his square inch picture among the throng. He closed his eyes and groaned as he devoured his potato.

"We're two minutes in, and I'm already regretting it," he moaned as she flipped through the pages.

"Oh hush," she shot back. "Look, here's the glee club photo." She turned it toward him and pointed to the picture, where a very young, very gangly Will Schuester was grinning goofily at the camera from the back row. "Aren't you adorable?"

"Yes, this was a great idea," he intoned, putting his head in his hands.

"Is that Bryan Ryan?" she asked with awe. "Look at that mullet!" Will actually shared a laugh with her on that, remembering how horrid mid 90's hairstyles really were. She was still giggling as she flipped through more pages, stopping when she recognized another face. "Terri?"

"Yeah," Will said, his tone cautious. This was the one aspect of reminiscing he wasn't looking forward to – remembering how so full of happiness and life Terri had been.

"I can see why…" she trailed off, looking a little uncomfortable. She cleared her throat and turned a few more pages. "Look, there's April…" He couldn't really decipher her tone, Will felt himself flush further, realizing this was probably not his best idea.

"Look, Emma, if this is uncomfortable for you…" he held out his hand to take the book from her, but she just shot him a confused look.

"Will, we've talked about April, so there's really no awkwardness there. And you and Terri had a lot of history, so it's only natural that you would think I would feel weird about discussing her. But you and I have worked through so much, and I don't feel…threatened by her anymore." Will just stared at the incredible woman across from him and withdrew his hand.

"You are amazing, you know that?" He shook his head in wonder. "I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but I'm glad I did it."

"Me too," she returned his smile, their gazes locking for a moment, before she shook her head and looked back down at his yearbook. Will reached into the box and pulled out a few medals from glee club wins and certificates for achievement that were worn and brown with age.

"You played soccer?" she asked suddenly, causing his head to snap up. She was in the athletics section now, and he smiled fondly as he remembered his first few years of high school.

"Huh? Oh yeah, for my first two years. I didn't make varsity, so I stopped to focus on glee." Emma nodded as she took in the soccer club's picture. He had been gangly then, but she could see some muscle definition in his legs and arms.

"Did you ever take dance lessons?" Her question seemed to come from left field, and it took Will a second to answer.

"Um, a little. My mom wasn't really the maternal type, and Dad was working a lot at the time. I knew Mom wouldn't understand, so I, uh, I told Mom it was karate lessons." Her jaw dropped in shock at the thought of Will ever lying to his parents. He seemed to catch on to her look and continued hastily. "It was only twice a week. I didn't really start concentrating on dance until college." He rubbed the back of his neck in an uneasy gesture, and Emma stopped to look at him in question. "Terri didn't really know either," he admitted. "When she found out my junior year of college…let's just say she wasn't happy about it. So I stopped. I wish I'd kept up with it…I love dancing." Emma smiled at him comfortingly.

"Well, if it's any consolation, you're really good at it." She remembered standing in an absurdly large wedding dress as he jived around her, swaying and sweeping in perfect time. He beamed with pride at her compliment, and Emma was reminded once again just what Will had gone through with Terri. That woman had never really told him how wonderful he was, how lucky she was to have him, and Emma knew then and there she would not make the same mistake. She stood up and grabbed her pillow, depositing it right next to his. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders happily and pulled her close as they flipped through the remaining three yearbooks.

"President of the Spanish Club," she said as they thumbed through his senior annual. "Big surprise." He nudged her lightly and turned the page. When they were done with the Thunderclaps, he pulled the box closer and began pulling out more memorabilia. There was an old dusty photo album his mother had given him, and they spent another hour laughing at various pictures from Will's high school days.

"I can't believe your graduating class started the slushie wars," she told him.

"Well, I was never slushied in high school thanks to glee, Spanish club, and Terri," he admitted. "But we were teenagers, and we all do things we regret."

"Will, you never slushied anyone?" she asked with horror in her eyes.

"No! I would never," he looked almost offended, but when she relaxed he sighed. "But I didn't encourage any of my peers to stop either."

"You're not responsible for their actions, Will, even if you were a popular kid. Teenagers are very, very stubborn, and they'll do what they want no matter what you tell them." He knew she spoke from experience, so he just kissed the side of her head and kept pulling things out of the box. There was a framed photo of the glee club from their National win in 1993, as well as a few awards he'd received for citizenship.

An old t-shirt was lying in the corner, and Will's face lit up as he unfolded his senior shirt. On the back was a screen print of McKinley High with the words "GO TITANS" scrawled underneath. Just below the neck line was his last name, printed jersey style in capital letters. The front simply had "CLASS OF 96" on the right breast. Every other square inch of fabric was covered in signatures from his classmates, and he smiled to himself as he read the words of his classmates all these years later.

"You were very popular," she noted, taking in the sheer amount of ink on the shirt.

"Only my last two years. I was a pretty average kid my freshman and sophomore years; I played soccer, got A's and B's, and sang in the glee club. My junior year was when everything kind of exploded. I started dating Terri, I got more leads in glee because Bryan had graduated, and things started going great. Pretty soon, everyone knew who I was." He read a few more lines, then folded the shirt back up.

"Something wrong?" she asked, her hand rubbing a comforter circle on his thigh.

"No," he told her. "It's just…things were so simple in high school. You got up, went to school for eight hours, hung out with friends, did some homework, then went to sleep. Everything was black and white then. When did things get so complicated?"

"It's called growing up, Will," she giggled. "Trust me, not everyone's high school experience was as golden as yours." He sensed a greater story behind her words, and turned an inquisitive eyebrow toward her.

"What was yours like?"

"Besides begging my parents to home school me practically every day so I wouldn't have to deal with hundreds of germy teens? Just peachy," she drawled. He huffed in amusement at her attempt at humor and squeezed her shoulder.

"Seriously, Em," he goaded, and she heaved a sigh.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," she wagged a finger at him. "Let's see…my freshman year I didn't really talk to anyone. I lived in a relatively small town, mind you, so most people knew about my…problem. I didn't really have a friend until about half way through my sophomore year. There was a new boy in town, a year older than me, and he moved in two doors down. We started walking to school together after a week. A month later, he took me out for ice cream."

"Aww, your first romance," he laughed. She glared and elbowed him lightly, and he wisely closed his mouth to let her continue.

"Yes, well, if you remember, I don't do dairy. So ice cream turned into a three hour sobbing fest. Needless to say, I walked to school alone the rest of the year." Will's laughter died in his throat and he pulled her closer.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, but she just shrugged.

"It's okay," she told him, but he shook his head.

"No, it's not. You missed out on so much…but we're going to fix that." She looked at him in confusion, but he just stood up and bowed. "Emma Pillsbury, would you be my date to prom?" She rolled her eyes at him and stood up.

"Will, prom was weeks ago," she reminded him in mock exasperation. He just huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You really are a buzz kill," he joked. "Fine then." He reached into the box and closed his fist around something before darting off to his bedroom. She stood in the middle of his living room now thoroughly confused as to what he had planned. He returned moments later, his hand still fisted around something tightly. He directed her to the couch and sat down next to her, motioning for her to turn around. Still confused but willing to play along, she turned her back to him. He pulled her hair up off her neck and asked her to hold it. His hands then went over her head, then back around her neck, and she felt something heavy land on her chest. As he clasped the necklace just below her hair line, she looked down and smiled through her tears at the sight of his class ring hanging on a silver chain.

"Go steady with me?" he asked, kissing her neck lightly. She turned back toward him and laughed.

"You are such a goof," she said lovingly, pulling him to her for a kiss. "And yes, I will." He leaned her back on the couch, following her with his lips as they proceeded to make out. She actually felt like a teenager again as he hesitantly increased the pace and depth of their make out session, and she felt his fingers dancing at the hemline of her shirt. They shifted so they were lying side by side on the cushions, and she let her hands do some exploring of their own.

She felt him gasp as her fingers slipped underneath his shirt, tracing the contours of the muscles she knew were there.

"Emma," he breathed, breaking their kiss. "As much as I love that feeling, if you continue I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself from ravishing you thoroughly." She giggled at his attempt at being serious as her hands stilled on his abs. With a wicked gleam in her eyes, she moved her hand quickly to his sides, where he'd admitted only a week ago to being ticklish. Just as expected, he jumped and let out a bark of laughter. She squeezed the muscles of his side lightly again, and he squirmed to put some distance between them. Unfortunately for Will, the only direction to go was backward, and he tumbled off the couch onto the floor. She was laughing by now, her eyes tearing up, and when his head poked up from the floor he smiled at the happiness on her face.

"You know, of course, this means war," he told her, and she shrieked as he began attacking her with his hands, trying to find any spot on her that was ticklish. He finally found it on her thigh just above her knee, and when he grabbed her she squealed and jumped up. She tried to bolt from him, but his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

"Let me go!" she yelled as she laughed, his hands trying to reach her ticklish spot again. She twisted an arm behind her and pinched his, causing his grip to loosen enough so she could get away. He began chasing her all over the house, but it was in his bedroom when he finally caught up with her. She'd cornered herself behind his bed, and when she scrambled over it to get away he tackled her into the pillows.

They lay there catching their breath for a moment before he snuggled down and hummed with contentment. She let him hold her for a few moments before squirming out of his grasp. He groaned at the loss of her, but she swatted his shoulder.

"Come on, we need to go clean up." He sighed and heaved himself from the bed in one motion, following her out to the living room. As they tidied up dinner and Will's box of memories, he caught her fingering his ring every few moments. Suddenly, his mind filled with images of her playing with an entirely different kind of ring, but he shook his head to clear it. Now was not the time start thinking about that; they'd just started dating, he reminded himself. But as the night wore on and they settled down to watch television, he just couldn't get that image out of his head.


	14. I Feel Bad

Here's the second chapter for the weekend. Yeah, I know, a little late. But two chapters in three days is kind of cool, right? Hey, I found my horn...*toot*

Okay, so we all knew there was going to be a little angst at this point in the story. Nothing you recognize from the episode "Funk" is mine, though God knows I wish I had the rights to order Matthew Morrison to sing me to sleep every night. At least I have my mp3 player and a good imagination...

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_"I don't feel bitter, alone, I just feel it's time to move on." - Rascal Flatts_

Seeing Sue Sylvester roaming the halls proudly on a Tuesday was not a new sight at McKinley. It wasn't even a noteworthy sight, in Emma's eyes, that she was toting a shiny new trophy in her hands, or that she had two members of the drafting class trailing her like puppies. No doubt she'd walked into their class and all but ordered them out the door. What caught Emma's eye was the fact that she was headed in the direction of the choir room wearing a very menacing grin on her face.

Emma cringed at the thought of another confrontation between her and Will. He'd been more on edge lately since his lawyer had called and told him about the finalization of his divorce from Terri. She knew they were due to sign the papers later this afternoon. And though both she and he knew there were no other options, Emma knew Will had been feeling less than himself the past few days because of it.

Mostly concerned for Will – but mildly curious as to Sue's purpose – Emma followed at a discreet distance. As she approached she heard Will speaking in a defiant tone she'd never heard from him.

"Sue, get out of my room." Emma came to a halt just outside the door as Sue ignored Will and turned her attention to the glee club.

"Glee clubbers, for those you whose hearing has not been damaged by massive doses of Acutane, listen up. In a few weeks, glee club will be finished. Now how do I know that? Well I recently checked the odds with my Vegas bookie who told me that you're 40 to 1 underdogs at regionals. You are going to lose and your dreams will be crushed." Emma felt her blood boiling at Sue's harsh words; she had no business even being _in_ a school, much less in charge of education.

"Sue, can I see your trophy?" Will's voice was deceptively calm, and Emma snuck a peek around the corner. She stifled a gasp at the sight of the choir room covered in toilet paper, but it was Will's face that Emma was focusing on. Maybe it was the contemplative twitch in his brow, or the predatory way he was viewing the trophy, but Emma couldn't remember ever seeing that look on his face before.

"Sure, Will," Sue's voice was pitying, and Will took the two and a half foot trophy from her hands as she gave him a deprecating smile. "Hope and dream."

Emma saw the moment Will's face morphed from a serene to severe, and she actually jumped in fright as he drew back and hurled the trophy against the wall, shattering into tiny pieces from the sheer force. The anger on his face for that split second sent a wave of fear through her, and she could see it mirrored in the expressions of the glee club kids as they watched their mentor turn around with an eerie gleam in his eye.

"You dropped your trophy, Sue," he said in a tone that sent shivers down Emma's spine. This was not her sweet, wonderful Will. This man was a stranger to her, one she'd only heard about from Will himself as he'd described those heart-wrenching moments of revelation as Terri's secret had been uncovered. Emma had listened to him all those months ago detail a man who had lost control – who had never before struck anyone out of anger but was so close to devastation that it scared him.

Now she backed away as Sue took in Will's outburst in stride. Her office was a safe haven, and as the glass doors closed behind her she took a few deep breaths. A calm Will she could handle. Even a crying, heartbroken Will was something she felt comfortable dealing with. But this…this angry, malicious Will was an entirely different beast. And he scared Emma.

At the end of the clean up, Will didn't even say goodbye to Emma on his way out the door. The vandalized choir room and confrontation with Sue had been enough to deepen his already dark mood, and it only got worse as the school day came to a close. He was due to meet with Terri and the divorce attorney at four, and as he pulled out of the parking lot he floored the gas, hearing the satisfying screech of his tires on the asphalt.

The end, he found out, was a whole lot simpler than the beginning. She'd wanted a white wedding, complete with two cakes, a string quartet, an elegant reception hall, and hundreds of guests. Now, she settled for the bedroom suite, the dining room set, the contents of her crafting room, and most of the fancier kitchen gadgets. Will didn't care so long as she left him his couch, the smaller television, and his computer. He could grab his old double bed from his parents' house, and who really needed a garlic shaver anyway? The entire ordeal took ten minutes and three signatures a piece, and what was once the best thing in his life faded away under legal jargon and a farewell kiss on the forehead.

As that chapter of his life closed for good, Will took a deep, cleansing breath. The lawyer left quietly after Terri departed, the latter promising to come with a moving van to pick up her things over the weekend. She'd gotten an apartment near her sister, who was helping with the bills until Terri could grab some extra hours at work. Will didn't care about it; he felt numb at the moment and just needed time to sort through his emotions. He didn't know how long he just sat at the table staring into space as his life settled into something he didn't recognize.

"Idiot," he whispered to himself as he stood up. He was suffering, he knew that, but he didn't have to suffer alone. He quickly slipped on his trainers and grabbed his keys as he bolted out the door. Twenty minutes later he was knocking on Emma's door. It took her a little longer than normal to open the door, and when she did Will was frozen in place by the expression on her beautiful features.

She was afraid.

"Emma?" he whispered, questioning her emotions and his presence all in one word. Her hesitancy was well hidden in her movements, but it was there as she stepped back and allowed him entry.

"How are you?" she asked feebly, kicking herself for such an empty question. She knew how he was, and knew very well why he was here. He needed comfort, he needed to be near her, but her mind kept replaying the moment just before the metallic crash, the moment when she realized that not everything was fairytales and happy endings. Will was hurting, and for all her training, she didn't feel strong enough to help him.

"I'm sorry for barging in," he said, toeing his shoes off in an attempt to normalize their conversation. "I just…" he turned to her then, his heart in his eyes. "I just really needed to see you." In that moment, Emma's heart won the current battle over her mind and she stepped toward him and let him pull her close. After a few seconds he pulled away and framed her face with his hands. "You're shaking, Emma. Are you alright?"

"Will, I –" she stopped, unsure of how to articulate to the man she loved just what was going through her head. Not answering his question, she just grabbed his hand and led him to the couch. They sat closely, side by side, but not in each other's arms.

Emma slipped her hand into his larger one, marveling at the warmth coming from his body. His strong, nimble fingers slid through hers, interlocking their hands tightly. They sat that way for a moment before Will took a shaky breath.

"Emma, please," his voice was quivering with sadness, "I need you to talk to me." _She_ hadn't, Emma recalled. Terri had internalized everything important and yelled about trivial nonsense. And Emma had promised herself to be Terri's opposite in every way. She lifted their intertwined hands and kissed the light band of skin on his third finger where his wedding band had rested for five years. There were tears in his eyes as she sought strength in them, and she took a deep breath.

"I followed Sue to the choir room this afternoon. She was walking down the halls so smugly, and I was curious and worried as to what she wanted with the glee club. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard what she said to the glee club, and I saw what you did to her trophy." She knew she was rambling, but she couldn't stop.. "I'm sorry your room got trashed." It was added hastily as a faux deflection, but she knew Will understood. There was pain in his eyes as he gazed down at her, and she knew he was adding more anguish to his already heavy load.

"Emma, I am so sorry. I just…I lost it. Sue had come in, and she was being so…_Sue_, and I just –"

"I understand _why_ you did it, Will. But…it scared me." He was on his knees before her in an instant, and his free hand grabbed hers in earnest.

"I swear to you, I will _never_ hurt you. We all get mad, and we all do things we regret, but I would never, ever, lash out at someone out of anger; especially someone I love. Even when Terri…that night, I just lost my mind. I was so angry, and so hurt…I backed her against the wall, and I ripped that _lie_ off her body, but I never laid a hand on her. But I saw the fear in her eyes, and I hated myself enough in that moment to walk away." He was crying now, and she felt tears of her own falling down her cheeks.

"Will, don't ever hate yourself. You are a wonderful, loving, passionate man, and if Terri didn't understand just what a treasure she had then that's her loss. I don't want that pain, that memory, to poison your life anymore." She scooted forward so that she was perched on the edge of the cushions, her body just inches from his own.

"It's over," he whispered. "I'm finally done with that part of my life. I want to move on, I want to be the man I was always destined to be, the one she never allowed me to be. And I want you to be there, too." He took a few hitching breaths, not caring that he was openly weeping in front of her. "I can't do this without you, Emma." She removed her hands from his and framed his face, mimicking his pose from earlier.

"You'll never have to, Will," she whispered, pulling him to her. She kissed him briefly, pouring as much emotion into it as she could muster. When they broke she wrapped her arms around his neck, and his arms encircled her waist. She let out a tiny shriek as he tugged her down into his lap, settling down in front of the couch. He buried his face in her hair, and she felt him trembling as his tears soaked her shirt.

She held him as he cried, and shed tears of her own as he let loose the torrent of emotions inside him. When there were no more tears to cry he simply held on to her, as if she were his lifeline in a sea of broken dreams. And slowly, with soft words and loving hands, she pulled him to solid ground.

"Can I stay here tonight?" he asked quietly, earning a chuckle from her precious lips.

"You read my mind," she said, repeating his words from over a week ago. He didn't move right away, but when she began to squirm in his arms he loosened his hold. She kissed his forehead, unknowingly erasing Terri's last kiss with her lips, and stood.

"Bathroom," she explained as she hopped up. He scrambled up from the floor and got a glimpse of himself in the mirror on her mantle. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy from crying, and there were tear stains on his face.

"Jesus," he whispered to himself, shrugging his shoulder nearer to his face in an attempt to wipe away some of the grime. Remembering that he hadn't actually brought a change of clothes, he quietly walked to Emma's bedroom door.

"Hey Em? I need to run home and grab some things. You hungry?" He heard her voice faintly through the closed bathroom door, so he took a few steps into her bedroom to hear better.

"…grilled chicken from wherever you want is fine. Could you pick me up some sweet tea, too?"

"Uh, sure," he called back. "I'm gonna turn the lock on the knob when I leave. Love you." He dashed out the door and back to his car, feeling much better than when he'd last gotten out of it. Even a task as simple as fetching dinner was rejuvenating, and he cracked a smile as he turned on his car and drove into the setting sun.


	15. Sorry

Okay, so in order let some readers continue reading, I've scaled it back to T. That was kind of the point of asking the chapter beforehand, sorry if that didn't come across. Anyway, nothing much changes (just some minor changes to Chapter 12). Sorry to those who have missed on the last few chapters because of it. This one's for you.

* * *

_"There's no excuse, no explanation. Believe me, if I could undo what I did wrong I'd give away all that I own." - Daughtry_

"How are you holding up, son?" Andrew Schuester asked as he helped Will disassemble the old double bed from the guest room. Will loosened the last bolt and sighed.

"I'm alright, Dad. I just…it's all kind of sinking in, you know?" The elder Schuester nodded sympathetically. "How's law school going?"

"It's harder than I remember," he joked. "And most of the other students are just kids." They shared a laugh as Will pulled the headboard free. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"I would love to, Dad, but I have to get this back to my place and get all this put away, then I have to grade papers, and it's just…I'm swamped right now." Will turned his concentration back to the bed, hoping his dad wouldn't notice his white lie. The truth was, he was hoping to avoid the third degree from his mother.

"I understand, son." And he did. In those three words, Will felt a little of the weight lifting from his shoulders. He wiggled the foot board loose as Andrew grabbed the side rails. They toted the pieces down the stairs in silence, packing them into the small moving van Will had rented for the afternoon. His mother had finagled him into taking some of her older cookware, as well as a dresser and night stand from the guest room.

"Oh William," his mother crooned as she pulled him in for a hug. "I wish you'd come visit more. With your father off to school every night, it gets mighty lonely around here." Will cringed inwardly at the thought of his mother drinking alone every night, and promised to come back more often.

"Take care of yourself, Mom. Love you guys." He kissed her cheek and hugged his dad before climbing into the driver's seat. He saw them waving in the mirror as he putted down the street and around the corner. Once he was out of sight, he let out a heavy sigh. He loved his parents, but they had never really understood him. They loved him unconditionally, and supported him in all his endeavors, but it seemed like – up until lately – spending time with his parents seemed more like a chore.

When he pulled up to his apartment, he was surprised to find Finn sitting on his front steps. Worried that something had gone wrong, he hopped out quickly and approached the teen.

"Finn, is everything okay?" Finn looked up with a look of desperation that Will had only seen on his face once before; when he'd found out Quinn was pregnant. Will said nothing, but allowed the teen to cling to him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue," Finn said embarrassedly, pulling back and wiping his eyes. "I just…I didn't know who else to go to. I messed up."

"It's alright, why don't you come in and we'll talk about it?" Finn shuffled his feet and looked at the moving van.

"Um, do you need some help? I'd kind of rather be doing something constructive right now." Will smiled and clapped his student on the back.

"Sure thing, I'd appreciate the help." Wordlessly, they moved each piece of furniture into the house, and Will even let Finn help him assemble the bed. When it was all done, Will got them each a glass of ice water and sat down next to Finn on the couch.

"Alright Finn, you're not one to just sit and brood over something. What's wrong?"

"I messed up," Finn repeated.

"You mean besides you and Puck's little 'prank'?" Will was still upset at his students over destroying the tires on every Glee Club Land Rover in Carmel High's parking lot, but it seemed like Finn was talking about something bigger.

"We're really sorry for that, and we got jobs to pay for the tires." Finn hesitated to tell his teacher _where _he got a job and continued quickly. "No, I screwed up big, Mr. Schue, and now my mom's suffering for it." Finn didn't touch his water, but ran his hands through his hair, causing it to stick up at odd angles from the sweat. "You know how my mom and Kurt's dad are kind of…dating?" Will's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the news.

"No, I had no idea. How did that happen?"

"I think Kurt had something to do with it at the last PTA meeting or something. Anyway, it turns out that they really like each other, and Kurt's dad asked us to move in with him." Finn slumped back on the couch.

"Wow, that's…that's good news isn't it? I mean, from what I understand your mom hasn't had…companionship in a long time." Will felt a little awkward talking about it with Finn, but he knew the teen had a lot to deal with for such a young man, and had grown up faster than most.

"Not since my dad," Finn agreed. "But I screwed it up. I always just screw things up!" He jumped up from the couch and swung his arms wildly. Will was up by him in a heartbeat, grabbing his shoulders.

"Finn, you need to calm down. What happened?" Finn let his teacher lead him back to the couch, where he flopped down clumsily and sighed.

"I called Kurt a fag."

"Finn!" Will was shocked to say the least; he thought Finn had more sense than that.

"Well I wasn't really; I was actually talking about this really frilly blanket on the couch. Kurt had redecorated his basement, because we were supposed to share, and I just got fed up." He felt himself tearing up, but he forced them back. He would not cry in front of Mr. Schuester. Not again, anyway. "I know I shouldn't have said it, and I didn't really mean it, but Burt heard me and he kicked me out. He was right to do it, too, Mr. Schue, but now my mom's sad. And what's worse is the look she gives me when I walk in the door. She's not mad at me…it's more like, disappointment."

"Well, it sounds like you learned your lesson. I trust you won't make the same mistake again?"

"No, sir," Finn said hastily. "And I kind of patched things up with Kurt after the whole confrontation in the hall with Karofsky. But I don't know how to make my mom feel better."

"Well, first you need to realize _what_ will make your mom feel better. And I think you already know the answer, Finn."

"I know, I just…" he trailed off, letting his thoughts kind of mull around for a bit. Will stayed silent, letting him work through things on his own. "It's always been me and my mom, you know? I never really had a father figure until y–" he stopped abruptly, and Will wondered briefly what Finn had been about to say. Before he could ask, Finn started up again.

"I never knew my father. He was deployed before I was even born, and the only time I've seen him was in pictures or dreams. Mom told me stories about him, but stories can't teach you how to drive, or talk to you about girls, or take you to ball games." Finn wiped his face as he stopped speaking. Will laid a hand on his shoulder.

"And you did all that with Burt?" Finn nodded. "Then you know what you have to do."

"I have to apologize to him. It's just…he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you, Finn. He was protecting his son, a father's natural instinct. You need to go talk to him, sort things out man to man." Will stood, and Finn joined him. Will walked to the door, surprised when Finn didn't follow immediately. "Something wrong?"

"I don't…I sort of walked here."

Will took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Alright, come on. I'll drive you." Finn scrambled to follow his teacher out the door and into the old blue hatchback that had probably seen better days. The drive over to Kurt's house was silent, and Will knew Finn was probably trying to sort out just what he was going to say to Mr. Hummel. When they pulled up outside the small brick home, Will put the car in park and turned to Finn.

"Look, here's my number," he handed Finn a small scrap of paper. "I don't expect you'll need it, but if you do you can call me. You'll do fine, Finn. I have faith in you." He clapped the teen on the shoulder. "Thanks for your help today." Finn actually laughed at the irony of the statement, but nodded all the same.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue…for everything." And he got out. Will watched as he slowly made his way to the door and rang the bell. He shuffled his feet for a moment before a shorter, stouter man opened the door. Will had only had a brief meeting with the elder Hummel many months ago, but the proud way he carried himself reminded him of Kurt. Words were exchanged, and Will was happy to see the Mr. Hummel's face morph from cautiousness to acceptance. He laid a hand on Finn's shoulder, and Will smiled as Finn let himself be led into the house. He waved back when Burt lifted a hand in thankful farewell, then drove off into the night.

Will felt better than he had in a while, and he wondered if this was how Emma felt every time she helped a wayward student. With that thought in mind, he redirected his car away from his apartment and toward the one thing that could always make him feel better.


	16. Ain't Nobody

_"I've been waiting for you for so long. I knew just what I would do when I heard your song." - _Chaka Khan

Will slammed his front door in anger, forcing himself to take several deep breaths. It seemed like nothing could go right this week. First, Jesse St. James defected back to the team he defected from, leaving him one male lead and a whole lot of confidence short for winning regionals. Terri had "conveniently" forgotten a box last weekend, prompting her to come over yesterday and start a two hour sobbing fest to try and garner a little sympathy money from Will. He'd promptly let her out of _his_ apartment, telling her in no uncertain terms that he didn't want to see her outside of absolute necessity. And to top it all off, Sue was being...well, Sue.

He mentally poured over every memory, every confrontation he'd ever had with Sue Sylvester to try and figure out just why she hated him so much, but he could find nothing. It was almost as if she'd selected him to be her target, and nothing short of the hand of God was going to sway her.

He thought back to the conversation he'd had with Rachel a couple of days ago, feeling her out and making sure she was okay after Jesse had ripped her heart out. "_You destroy the heart of the team's heart, and you destroy the team." _ For a brief moment, Will had a flash of an idea on how to deal with Sue, but dismissed it quickly.

"Great," he shook his head and scolded himself. "Now you're taking revenge advice from sixteen year olds." He turned on his music player and let the melodies clear his head of all thoughts. He sank down into the couch and closed his eyes, letting notes and words flow over him like a security blanket.

"Will?" his eyes snapped open at the sound of Emma's voice, and he smiled at her silhouette framed in his doorway. "I knocked, but you probably didn't hear me," she offered in explanation, but he waved her in and she closed the door.

"No, it's alright." She walked slowly to the couch and sat next to him, listening to the music filling the room. Will didn't know how long they sat that way, lost in the music, until her phone rang. He quickly muted his stereo and busied himself with tidying up his shoes and bag as he tried not to listen to her half of the conversation.

"Monday the 17th at 4? That sounds fine, thank you Anne." She shut her phone and gave him a half-hearted smile. "I have a dentist appointment the week after next; quarterly cleaning and all that." She stowed her phone back in her purse and sighed. "How are things going?" He didn't answer right away, but stepped close and pulled her into his arms. She didn't protest, and wrapped her arms around his waist as he held onto her. After several quiet moments, she pulled away and offered to make dinner.

They settled into a routine as they prepared the food, though there was little conversation between them. Emma was a little worried at his silence; usually Will was the first one to open up and talk about what was bothering him. Finally, she brought it up as he pushed his peas around with a fork.

"Something on your mind?"

"Hmm?" he asked, his eyes never leaving his plate. "No, just a rough day, well, week really. I'm glad tomorrow's Thursday. Finn and Puck say they've come up with a number for us. And then it's Friday, and then the weekend. I could use a break."

"Well," she said sympathetically, "I have some good news then." She was smiling when he looked up, and he gave her a small one in return.

"What's that?"

"Sue and the Cheerios are leaving Friday for Nationals. She won't be there at all." His small smile widened at the thought, and he sat back in his chair.

"That is good news. What are we going to do with a completely Sue-free day?" She laughed and shrugged.

"Glue all her things to her desk?" His mouth dropped open in shock at her suggestion, and he chuckled.

"Emma, I never knew you had it in you. Were you a prankster when you were younger?" She shook her head quickly.

"Oh no, but my younger brother was a notorious one. Teachers would warn the next year before he graduated that he was coming. Once, he managed to wrap every item on his teacher's desk in tin foil. His classmates said it took her three hours to unwrap their work for the day." Will laughed heartily at the image of a young red-headed boy with a mischievous smile on his face.

"I bet your parents were furious!" She was laughing, too, and wiped tears from her eyes as she nodded.

"Daddy was; Brody got the belt and two weeks suspension for that one." She took a deep breath. "He's annoying – all little brothers are – but some of the stuff he pulled was just too funny."

"Is this the same brother who pushed you into a runoff lagoon?" he asked warily.

"No, Brody was a prankster, but he wasn't cruel. That was my older brother, Michael." Will nodded and wiped his face, taking her sudden silence as a cue to change the topic.

"Well, if you're up for more laughs, Finn and Puck are going to be doing a funk number tomorrow."

"Funk?" Emma's brow furrowed.

"Yeah, it's the one thing Vocal Adrenaline has never been able to pull off. But we've got the talent to do it, so a few of them are going to try it out." He finished his plate and stood, moving to the sink to clean up.

"Honestly, I never really heard much funk music growing up. Michael was into that really loud, screamy stuff, and Brody never really listened to music, so my exposure is limited." Will just smiled as they finished drying the dishes, then grabbed her hand and led her to the couch.

"Well then," he said, moving to his stereo, "we're gonna have to remedy that." There was a brief moment of silence before a synthesized beat filled the room. She laughed as Will started shaking his hips, dancing back over to her as he opened his mouth to sing.

"_Captured effortlessly, that's the way it was. Happened so naturally I did not know it was love._" He spun around effortlessly in his socked feet, his eyes twinkling as she watched him perform just for her. "_The next thing I felt was you holding me close. What was I gonna do? I let myself go."_ He popped around, his body moving in a way she couldn't even begin to imagine, and she laughed in delight. "_And now we're flying through the stars. I hope this night will last forever." _She giggled as he twirled around, his tenor belting out the chorus.

_"Ain't nobody loves me better, makes me happy, makes me feel this way. Ain't nobody loves me better than you."_

He let the music play on as he grabbed her hands and began to dance with her, walking her through some moves that she would never have ever attempted on her own. His hands were on her hips, guiding her and holding her close to him.

Finally, after a few minutes, he spun her around and wrapped his arms around her, swaying as he brought his mouth close to her ear. "_At first you put your arms around me, then you put your charms around me._" She smiled and slid her arms around his waist as he serenaded her. "_I can't resist this sweet surrender on a night so warm and tender. We stare into each other's eyes and what we see is no surprise_." He pulled his head away from her ear and looked lovingly into her eyes, happy to see his expression mirrored in her own. "_Got a feeling most will treasure and a love so deep we cannot measure."_ His voice rose to hit the note, and she smiled at the happiness on his face as he launched into the chorus once more. They continued to dance together as the song faded away. When they stopped moving, she kissed him.

"I think I could get used to funk," she said when they pulled apart. He hugged her to him, and she felt the muscles in his back and shoulders relaxing as he took deep breaths. "It's getting late, I should go." She felt him sigh into her hair, and rolled her eyes playfully as he tightened his hold on her. "It's not like you won't see me tomorrow."

"Yeah," he pulled away from her, "but I can't do this." He leaned forward and kissed her hungrily, marveling in the way she fit so perfectly in his arms. He walked her to the door and kissed her one last time, waiting until she was safely in her car before closing his door.


	17. Can't Get Enough

"_You give me something I need. Now tell me I got something for you." – _Bad Company

Will stared at his phone in confusion, wondering who could be texting him so late on a Sunday evening. He had just finished dinner – a TV dinner, he hated when Emma went home early on Sundays – and was settling down with a book when his phone sounded.

_Turn on your television, Fox Sports Net_

Now more curious than confused, Will grabbed the remote and followed the orders. He barked a hollow laugh as Sue Sylvester's face filled the screen, her Cheerios bouncing and screaming in the background. They had won Nationals over the weekend, and apparently Fox was replaying the interview with the internationally ranked cheerleading coach that took them there.

He listened as Sue ranted about how great she was, and Will actually smiled as Kurt got his fifteen seconds of fame – who knew he could speak French? But Sue's confidence at the end unnerved him, and his heart beat faster as the knock sounded on his door.

Brittany stood there looking slightly mortified as she, Santana, and their cheer mate, Stephen, hoisted the monstrous trophy into his apartment. Sue was smirking evilly as she surveyed the massive award on his coffee table. Brittany mumbled an apology as they were ordered out, leaving Will and Sue alone in his living room.

"Wow, you did it, Sue," he was generally happy for her kids, they _were_ good and probably deserved to win, even if she was a heartless crone.

"I'll do the talking here, thank you very much." She was in no mood to play games, and Will paused as she continued. "Let me break it down for you, William. You're standing at a crossroads, you have two choices. Number one," she held up a finger, "this trophy will be installed in the choir room in a custom-built, bullet proof case as a daily reminder of your failure as a man and an educator." Will resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her drama.

"And what's choice number two?" She paused, as if contemplating something, then snorted a laugh.

"You know what? There is no choice number two, William. This trophy is going up in that room, where all your little freaky sing-along pals can see it. Now I have to leave…your place stinks of mediocrity." She stalked out of the room, leaving Will standing there with a six foot trophy and a scowl. Brittany and Santana walked in moments later to retrieve it, unable to look their glee director in the eye as they grabbed it and left quickly.

True to her word, the next day the drafting class installed the trophy as he stood helpless to watch. He had to be in the auditorium in five minutes as his kids gave Vocal Adrenaline a taste of their own medicine, but there was no way he was going to let Sue in _his_ room without supervision. The trophy went in, and he stared at it for a moment longer before stalking out the door.

He was in a slightly better mood after New Directions tore up the stage with their funk number. Watching them really come alive up there had lightened his heart, and he was smiling as he waved goodbye to the last of the kids to leave.

"Oh gosh," Emma's voice startled him, and he turned to find her staring in horror at the Cheerios' trophy. He sighed and walked over to her.

"It's not really a big deal, just Sue trying to get under my skin." He saw her fidgeting with her hands, and reached out to stop her worrying. "Really, Emma, it's okay." She nodded once, her eyes still on the trophy. He leaned down to kiss her, and she jerked away from him.

"Will!" he was grinning at her stern expression, causing her lips to twitch.

"You know, this 'being professional' thing is a lot harder when you're actually here." She rolled her eyes at him and helped him gather his things. On their way out the door, he slipped an arm over her shoulders and smiled when she didn't pull away.

"So, are you excited about next weekend?" she asked as he walked her to the parking lot. She'd stepped away from him as they passed the front office, waving at Ms. Jefferson sitting at the desk.

"Oh, beyond belief," he breathed. "I'm just so excited for these kids. I'm having them over Wednesday night for our first annual regional set list nomination party." She giggled as they stepped out into the humid afternoon.

"That sounds like a Rachel idea," she commented.

"Yeah, but it'll be fun. You should come. I know those kids love you." They halted beside her car as she fished for her keys.

"Wednesday is usually my late day," she reminded him. His smile faltered, and she saw the light in his eyes dim. Hastily, she added, "but I could probably be there about six?" His grin was back tenfold, and his eyes sparkled as if Christmas had come early.

She surprised him again by raising herself up on her tip toes and pressing a kiss to his lips. It was quick, and she was pulling away before he even really processed what happened. He looked around at the deserted parking lot quickly before grabbing her waist and pulling her against him. He pressed her up against her car as he kissed her thoroughly, loving the way she melted in his arms. When he pulled back they were both breathless, and she pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.

"Will," she protested, but there was no real feeling behind it. She was finding it harder and harder to get mad at him for breaking the rules of their "at work" agreement, as more than once she'd caught herself wondering just how he would react if she just pushed him up against the lockers and kissed him senseless. Those thoughts were creeping into her day to day routine more frequently, and at times she found it hard to concentrate when he crossed her mind.

"Em?" she was pulled back into focus by his hand on her shoulder, and he looked apologetic.

"I'm okay, Will. It's fine," she was quick to reassure him. "Just got lost in thought, is all."

"Thoughts about me, I hope," he said cheekily, and she swatted his shoulder as she checked the time.

"No, about my dentist. I have an appointment in half an hour," she joked, and he feigned a hurt look.

"What's this dentist got that I haven't?" he asked, continuing her game.

"A post graduate degree," she countered easily, and he scoffed. Not finding a suitable comeback, he switched tactics and pressed himself up against her again. She let him kiss her, running her hands through his soft hair, feeling his fingers caressing her skin just under her blouse hem. Feeling bolder than normal, she braced herself and let her tongue dart out. She felt his surprise and elation as he opened his mouth greedily, letting their tongues duel for control. He held on a few more moments before he pulled back quickly, pressing his forehead against hers as their breathing slowed down.

"_That_," he said finally, "is all you'll think about in that chair." She chuckled low in the back of her throat, her eyes connecting with his. She noted the darkness swirling in his hazel eyes and smiled as she realized just how affected he was. She let him hold her for a few minutes until it wouldn't be too embarrassing for him to pull away from her. When he was ready, he kissed her cheek and stepped back.

"See you tomorrow, love. Call me if you need anything." She let him open her door for her and smiled as he jogged quickly to his own car.

His ringing phone woke him from his catnap on the couch. Emma's face was smiling up at him, so he was grinning as he answered. "Hello, love," he greeted happily. There was a beat of silence, then Emma's voice sounding more strained than he'd heard in a while.

"Will? Could you come over…please?" He was off the couch like a shot, cradling the cell phone, reaching for keys, and jamming his shoes on his feet in a masterful juggle-hop-slide combination.

"What's wrong, is everything okay, is your family okay?" A million questions ran through his mind, but his racing heart calmed a little when she chuckled.

"No, everyone's fine. I just…I wanted to see you." There was something else behind her words, but he was already unlocking his car door.

"Be there in ten," he told her. "I love you." She responded in kind and they hung up. In actuality, he made it in seven, and Emma was wearing an expression that was probably a combination of surprise and reproach at his speed as she opened the door. He followed her into the living room, but he stopped just short of tripping over her as she whirled around and threw her arms out.

"What is it, Will? First Bryan Ryan, then my dentist! Before you, _no one_ was interested in me – well, other than Ken but I'm not really counting that. All of a sudden, I'm some sort of…siren who draws men to her! I mean honestly, asking me if I want to take a look at the sanitizing machine…what kind of line is that?" Will took a second to process what she was saying, and when it clicked he couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. She put her hands on her hips to scold him, but her stern expression just had him cracking up more.

"It's not funny!" she tried, but that just made it worst. He clutched his side and wiped his eyes before holding his hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, getting himself under control, "I just…didn't expect that." She stalked away from him into the kitchen and he followed at a distance, gauging her posture for his next move. He slid up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, settling his mouth next to her ear. "You know, you should take it as a compliment. I mean, come on, can you blame the guy? You're smart, funny, gorgeous, compassionate, and adorable all rolled into an extremely neat package." She sighed and relaxed against him, her hands finding rest on his forearms.

"I know, I'm totally over reacting, but Will…it's just frustrating." He took a breath but remained silent, letting her calm down on her own. After a few minutes, he asked the question that had been on his mind since she exploded.

"What's he like?" He could practically feel her eyes rolling, and her laugh filled his ears.

"Polite, charming, dark hair, brown eyes, decent physique. Almost my type," she joked. Suddenly, he turned her around and pushed her against the counter as he kissed her hard.

He growled low in his throat, sending shivers up her spine. She had learned earlier today that Will had a possessive, jealous streak in him, and she secretly liked it. But she knew he also suffered from pretty low self esteem thanks to his ex-wife. His hazel eyes were almost brown when they parted, and she reached out a hand to stroke his face lovingly.

"Will, there's no cause for jealousy. I don't care if Matthew McConaughey walked in here right now and professed his undying love for me. _You_ are the only one I want…the only one I need." And she kissed him, pouring all of her emotions into that simple action. He continued to grip her waist firmly, but as she continued her ministrations he calmed and his hands began drifting over her body. When he pulled back, his eyes were apologetic.

"God, Emma, I'm sorry." He pushed away from her as if he'd been burned. "Jesus, I didn't…" he looked back at her waist, as if his eyes could discern whether he'd marred her porcelain skin underneath her blouse.

"Will," she stepped forward and he stepped back. "Will!" The power in her voice stopped his retreat, and she grabbed his face in her hands. "You didn't hurt me. You could never, remember?" He found the truth in her eyes and pulled her against him, murmuring apologies again into her hair.

"I just," he tried to explain as he searched for the answer inside him. "I can't think about you and…somebody else, without going a little crazy. Is this normal? I don't remember going through this with Terri." Emma's heart did a somersault at his admission, but she forced herself to focus on his question.

"I think so, Will. I mean, thinking about you with…someone else," she used his phrase, though both of them knew she spoke from experience versus his hypothetical situation, "it made me act very crazy." He thought back to the day in the teacher's lounge, and gave a mirthless chuckle.

"Actually, as long as we're being honest here, the way you stormed in there and told me off? That was hot." She swatted his shoulder playfully, but looked in his eyes with sincerity.

"Honestly?" she said, raising herself up to whisper in his ear. "I like your possessive side." She knew she'd hit a nerve as he smirked and grabbed her around the waist. She shrieked as he lifted her bridal style and carried her to the couch, tossing her down before settling almost on top of her. She fisted her fingers in his shirt as he descended on her, their mouths battling for supremacy.

"You're worth it," he whispered as he caressed her skin softly. "Any man would be insane not to want you, and I'm so thankful you gave me a second chance. I swear to you…you are all I'll ever need." She soaked in his words as his hands lifted the hem of her shirt ever so slightly. She gasped lightly as he moved down her body, kissing her waistline on either side of her stomach. She knew he was trying to erase his earlier roughness, but she laid her hands on his shoulders and squeezed, letting him know there was no need to beg forgiveness. He moved back to her neck, his nose brushing the valley between her breasts as he climbed up her body.

"Will," she breathed in a half-panicked state, and he nibbled lightly on her collarbone and kissed her pulse point before cuddling down beside her. His sudden journey south had unnerved her, though he knew she was nowhere near ready for anything of that nature. He held her in his arms, his steady breaths calming her own, until her she was out of her panic.

"Em? You alright?" He stroked her arms lightly, noticing how her eyes fluttered with each movement.

She hummed her affirmation and closed her eyes, surrendering to his gentle touch. He watched as she fell asleep, and he laid there for two hours just watching the constant rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. When he was sure she wouldn't wake, he carefully extracted himself and lifted her into his arms.

He'd only been in her bedroom once before, but he knew just where it was and how far it was to the bed in the dark. The light streaming in from the window helped a little, and he managed to maneuver her underneath the covers with little jostling. She stayed asleep, and he stayed sitting next to her slumbering form for another half an hour before he crawled in beside her, his mind replaying every experience, every choice in life that brought them to this moment. Some of them were his, some were hers, but there was one thing he was absolutely certain of: from this night forward, the future was _theirs_.

* * *

Truth be told, I thought about stopping it here. But I still have "Journey" to get through, and there are some things I want to touch on. I may, however, be persuaded to continue this fic past the end of the school year, should that be something you desire. But, alas, I am no mind reader, so you know what to do.

Also, should that happen, I am in a position to guarantee you another, far more dramatic appearance of Jealous Will...just sayin'...


	18. Good Friend

"_And I owe it all to you. Every good thing I do is you." - _Nine Days

Emma watched from the safety of the foyer as the last of the glee kids drove away. She walked quickly back up the stairs and entered Will's apartment quietly. He was standing at the window with his back to her, but she knew how he was feeling just from the slump of his shoulders and the hanging of his head. He'd tried to stay positive with the kids, let them know that he – no, _they_ – still believed in them, but what had started as a pseudo-party had quickly morphed into a two hour marathon of tears and bittersweet reminiscing.

Emma and Will sat side by side as some of the glee kids shared their favorite stories from the past nine months. It was all Will could do to hold it together as the world around him fell apart, but the occasional brush of Emma's hand over his kept him focused on staying strong for the kids. He could break down later; it was time to be a leader.

The apartment seemed quieter now that it wasn't overrun with twelve teenagers. Will's breathing and the puttering of rain outside were the only sounds Emma could discern. She knew he would talk to her in time, when he was ready, so she busied herself with cleaning up the pizza boxes left on the table. Everything was in the trash and his kitchen was wiped down by the time he joined her. Wordlessly, he helped her finish up, and she followed him back out into the living room. When he sat on the couch, she joined him, sitting close but not touching.

"I'm not sure what to do," he admitted softly. If she hadn't been waiting for him to speak, she might have missed his quiet confession. But it seemed that once he started, the words couldn't stop. "It's like they've all walked a thousand miles just to get punched in the stomach. And it's not fair. These kids have worked _so_ hard, and they deserve this. I just…_God_, I hate Sue." Her eyes widened at his language, and she took a deep breath.

"Hate is a really strong emotion, Will," she started off with a guidance counselor trick to get to the problem, and it worked. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

"I know, I just…I wanted so much for these kids, and they're so talented, they deserve to win. And now that's not going to happen."

"You don't know that. There are four judges, right? That's what the rules said. So maybe Sue won't matter after all." She'd repeated this to herself several times this afternoon when she found out about the Cheerios coach's sudden involvement in this weekend's competition.

"You heard Santana," he snapped. "She won't stop until glee club is gone." Emma took a breath and thought back to another time when he'd looked so cornered. With a baby on the way and an income that was barely keeping him and his wife afloat, Will had sat down with her determined to leave McKinley for good.

"Do you remember when you were going to quit teaching and become an accountant? And I showed you that video of yourself singing at Nationals, and you said that that was the happiest moment of your life?" She looked sideways at him in hope, and he nodded sadly as he looked up into her eyes. "Do you remember why?" Recognition dawned on his face, and his lips curved into a half smile.

"Because I loved what I was doing," he answered quietly.

"And isn't that what you've been drilling into their heads all year? That that feeling is way more important than winning or losing?" He gave a soft laugh, relaxing back into the couch. She turned to follow his progress, her body twisting around so she could watch his face soften and brighten as his half smile broke into a full one.

"I love you," he said simply, reaching out to draw her to him. She went happily, settling into the space between his arm and body easily.

"I love you too, Will," she replied quietly, closing her eyes as his fingers trailed softly up and down her arm. They stayed that way for a moment before she felt him reach behind them. Seconds later, the soft music from the radio filled the room, and he set the remote back on the table before returning to his ministrations.

As "Sweet Child of Mine" faded away, the opening strains of a very familiar song floated through the air, and she felt his breath hitch beneath her. Lifting her head, she saw the beginning of tears form in his eyes, and she raised her hand to stroke his forehead soothingly. As Steve Perry began singing he broke down and cried, letting her hold him as "Don't Stop Believing" played on.

She didn't know how many songs played as he cried, but when he was finally done he wiped his eyes and apologized. Once again cursing Terri silently, Emma reached out and grabbed his hands.

"No, Will, don't ever apologize being human," she told him. They sat that way for a few more silent moments, collecting their thoughts as another Journey song faded away. Without warning, Will shot up off the couch.

"That's it!" he cried, dashing down the hall to retrieve his laptop. Emma stared after him blankly until he came back with the machine in his hands, taking his place beside her again. "We have to have a theme, right? How about a Journey medley?" She grinned at him as he logged in and began searching through his music folder. "When I was going to leave, there were two things that kept me from going." He smiled at her and she blushed as he continued. "The kids put together this great arrangement of 'Don't Stop Believing' that literally had me from the first few notes. It was powerful, and they only had six people. But with twelve…" he trailed off as his mind began to put together harmonies and instrumentation as Emma watched.

She'd never seen this side of the process before, and she was amazed at Will's knowledge of music. In less than an hour he'd arranged the entire piece, and he'd even managed to get a few of her inputs into the song. When he was done he saved it and sat back against the couch.

"All that for one song?" she asked him. "How on earth do you do this every week?" He laughed as he began lazily searching for more Journey songs.

"Well, it helps that I really love music," he told her. "And seeing those kids perform is a great incentive as well. But it is a lot of hard work." He nudged her shoulder. "You know, you're not bad yourself."

"Oh I could never do all this," she gestured to the computer and he smiled at her. "I mean, offering advice is the best I can do. I don't have a very broad understanding of music like you do." Will waved her off.

"That's alright," he replied, keying open another song. "What about this one?" She listened to the opening strains of "Wheel in the Sky" and shook her head.

"Good for harmony, but not the right tone," she answered. "How about 'Separate Ways'? It was always one of my favorites." He opened the song and listened for a few moments before Emma shook her head. "No, never mind. They should open with something softer, though." Will closed the song and browsed some more before letting out a triumphant cry.

As the piano started Emma smiled widely, her eyes closing to the familiar tune as she pictured New Directions singing the song.

"Finn and Rachel," she said quietly. "They should open. At sectionals, Rachel started from the back of the audience, and that worked pretty well. What if Finn and Rachel entered from the back and worked their way to the front?" He nodded along, listening to the tune.

"With the rest of them behind the curtain on stage. We can reveal here," he said as the music lifted in crescendo. "We don't need the whole song, just the first verse, the chorus, and the tag here. They can all vocalize while Rachel improvs a little." He jotted some things down as he began arranging the song.

"Alright, we've got an opener and a closer, now the middle…" he renewed his search, determined to find the perfect song. "'Any Way You Want It' is a crowd pleaser," he thought out loud. "'Stone in Love' could work too, though."

"My college roommate always liked 'Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'." Will smirked at her inadvertent entendre, but otherwise ignored it.

"Kind of slow," he commented, "but another favorite."

"How about a mash up?" she suggested. "You love those."

"That could work…hang on." He pulled out a pen and paper, making notes about key changes and time changes, trying to work the lyrics of two songs into one. She stood and left him there, moving into the kitchen to get them something to drink. She found tea bags and began boiling water as she heard Will's fervent mumbling from the other room. She knew he was passionate about glee club, but she hadn't really understood just how much he put into it until now. She admired him even more for it, and she felt a surge of pride as she watched him from the archway.

He was bent over his notepad, scribbling away furiously as he plugged in headphones and began playing different sections of each song. The kettle sounded, pulling her away from her vigil to prepare the tea. Moments later, she set a steaming mug next to him on the table and curled up on the opposite end of the sofa just watching him. He looked up every now and then and smiled at her, thanking her silently as he sipped his drink.

She loved watching him work, she found, and marveled at the change in him from just a few hours ago. She'd only sat in on a few practices, and she knew the way his eyes lit up as he explained an intricate harmony, or how he smiled proudly as Finn _finally_ got the dance moves down. But this, arranging and creating an entire show for twelve talented kids, this was what he loved.

Unbidden, she felt a yawn split her face, and she stifled it quickly with the back of her hand. But Will caught it out of the corner of his eye and checked the clock on his computer.

"Jesus, Em, it's almost eleven. I'm sorry I kept you so late on a school night." He shut his laptop and stood up, stretching his stiff muscles.

"No, it's alright. I had fun. Thank you for letting me help." He hugged her gently and kissed her head.

"No, thank you for helping me. Would you consider being co-director with me? Sue might try to pull something again, and I don't want Figgins forcing something on glee club." She stammered for a few seconds at the unexpected request before he kissed her fully.

"Mmm, thanks," she said finally as he pulled back. "That's really sweet of you, Will, but I don't really have musical experience."

"Emma, I'm not asking you to take over for me," he explained, "but you care about those kids, and that's the most important thing. Besides, if we win Regionals, I'm going to need a lot of help preparing them for Nationals." He grabbed her hands earnestly, and she could practically see the pleading in his eyes.

"Is this just another ploy to spend more time with me?" she joked, and he looked crestfallen.

"How did you guess?" he pouted. She laughed and kissed him again. "No, in all seriousness, Emma, I think you would be a great co-director." She hesitated for only a moment before sighing in mock exasperation.

"You're not going to give up until I say yes, are you?" He shook his head. "Fine then, I'll save us both time." He hugged her again and whooped in joy. "I know the kids are going to be so psyched when I tell them."

"Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow for practice," she said as he walked her to the foyer. "I have a lot of preparation to do for the end of the year so I need to work through lunch." She kissed him again, lingering there for a moment, before stepping back and waving goodbye. He smiled as he watched her car disappear, waiting until he absolutely couldn't see her anymore before turning around and trudging back to his apartment to finish the mash up.


	19. Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Okay, I have to be honest here. I have had this scene in my head almost since day one of writing this story. That I've managed to hold of rushing through the Back 9 to get here is a testament to…something or the other. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing it. Also, you people are _very_ persuasive…so continue I shall.

* * *

_"Peace in the struggle to find peace. Comfort on the way to comfort." - Sarah McLachlan_

Will woke up Tuesday morning with a horrible headache and a fuzzy taste in his mouth. Memorial Day with his parents had been more than a celebration of patriotism. He had, for once, joined his mother for drinks to try and forget about the devastation he had felt on Saturday. Emma had been calling him all weekend, and he felt like an ass for all but ignoring her after the winners were announced – and New Directions wasn't among them. She was probably the only other person in the world who understood how he was feeling, and he began to formulate his apology in his head. Groaning, he rolled over to stop the blaring alarm clock beeping six inches from his head. His feet hit the floor and in an instant he was wide awake.

They'd lost. It was over.

All their hard work was going to be erased, as if it never happened at all, in less than an hour. He was sure Figgins was already accepting a check from whichever group could afford his price, and Will cursed as he threw on his favorite pair of worn jeans and a pale blue sweater vest over a white dress shirt. With his bag on his shoulder, he set out for the last two days of classes.

After his pep talk that morning, Will began to feel like a coward as he did is best to prolong the confrontation with Emma. She was probably furious at him for avoiding his problems, being the guidance counselor she was, and Will wasn't looking forward to the talking to she was bound to give him.

As the last of his final exams for the day finished up, he made his way quickly up to the copy room to run the scantrons through the machine before the mad dash that was sure to come. He had a final glee "practice" in a few minutes in the auditorium (the choir room was apparently already assigned to someone else), and despite his vow to find Emma immediately after classes were over, he was mulling over just what he was going to say to the kids who'd changed his life for the better.

Not even caring about grades, he shoved the scantrons into a folder and dropped it in his mailbox to retrieve later. As he descended the stairs on the way to the choir room, he heard the sounds of an argument floating through the hall. The front office came into view, and Will stopped dead in his tracks.

Emma was standing defiantly in Figgins' office, obviously outraged and yelling as loud as she could to get her point across. Will only caught a few words, but what he heard left no doubt as to what she was yelling for.

"…call yourself the principal! This is…children! You don't care… them!" Will was flabbergasted that Emma was not only yelling, but yelling at Figgins of all people about the glee club. She was fighting for them, and Will felt a small pang of shame as he watched the petite woman shout fiercely at a man who could easily end her career. The principal was trying to interrupt her, but her face was almost as red as her hair as she screamed over his attempts to calm her. Finally, she stormed out of his office, and Will made up his mind in a heartbeat.

"Emma!" he jogged down the remainder of the steps to catch up to her retreating form. When she didn't turn immediately, he tried a little louder. Finally, she turned to face him, and he could see she was fighting back tears. The look on her face told him just how upset she was, and it wasn't entirely at Principal Figgins. She was mad at him, and he didn't blame her, but he was determined.

"What was that about?" he asked, resisting the urge to reach out and wipe her tears away in a hall full of students.

"It's just so unfair," she told him, her features softening into sadness. "Will, your kids have worked _so_ hard for this. Did you know he's already given your choir room to the Mock U.N.?" Her words came faster and faster, and she hastily wiped her eyes as Will sighed dejectedly.

"A deal's a deal," his voice was resigned and quiet; he knew how stubborn Figgins was when it came to saving money. Nothing short of a miracle was going to change his mind about the glee club. "We lost, Emma." Saying the words aloud made it more real, and he felt the sharp stab of heartache as he realized it all over again. But where Will was calm and defeated, Emma came alive at his words.

"Because Sue cheated!" she yelled back at him. "She cheated, Will, and where do you think all that money's going? It's going right back into her pockets!" She was building to a crescendo as her arms darted about to punctuate her words. "We just…" her eyes connected to his, and he tried to figure out why she was so worked up when he knew – they both knew – there was nothing they could do. "We can't let her win this one!" Her tone turned accusatory as she whirled her tirade on him. "How can you just stand there and be so calm about this? How can you just give up so easily?" He knew her words had deeper meaning; if he could give up on glee club, something he loved so dearly, when it seemed nigh impossible, what about her.

Now he was a little upset himself. She knew him a little better than that, and he snapped. "I've tried, Emma! Okay? It…it's over." He'd learned a long time ago when to fight and when to give in, and he'd spent the better part of the weekend trying to find a way to save glee. Of course, she didn't know that, and her face hardened at his words.

"No," she said defiantly. "No, it's never 'over' Will. I don't care what anybody says. _Some _things are worth fighting for." The sheer ferocity in her voice startled him; he hadn't realized she felt so strongly about glee club. Here she was, fighting tooth and nail, putting everything on the line. She was acting like a true director would, and he felt suddenly inadequate in the light of their champion.

"You are amazing," he told her. Her face betrayed her confusion, and she shook her head.

"This is about glee club, Will. Not about us. Those kids _depend_ on you, and you're just giving up. Well I'm not." She stepped past him, probably to go scream at Figgins some more, when Will grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Marry me."

She froze in place, her eyes as wide as saucers as she took in the sincerity of his tone. When she didn't say anything right away, he leaned forward and kissed her in full view of the administrative office. She was still in shock, he thought, when she didn't respond immediately. But after a few seconds, she softened beneath him and her hand lifted to rest on his chest. She took in a shaky breath as he pulled away, the question still in his eyes as she her confused expression gave way to a tentative smile.

"Mr. Schuester? Miss Pillsbury?" Rachel's voice cut through their haze, and Will forced himself to turn and face his student.

"Yeah?" he answered, though his mind was still on the red head behind him.

"Can you two please come to the auditorium?" Her request was simple, and Will could see the raw emotion in her eyes. She was still hurting – they all were – but she was staying strong for her team. He glanced back at Emma, who was straightening her blouse nervously.

"Sure," he answered, waiting until he was sure Emma was following before setting off for the auditorium. Rachel led them to the director's table in the center of the house before joining her teammates on the stage.

They had set up on stools in a semi-circle, and as they went around and described their lives before glee club, Will felt himself tearing up. The tension between him and Emma seemed to melt away as the kids began singing to them, and he smiled when she took hold of his hand part way through the song. He squeezed her hand in apology, and he could feel her relaxing next to him. The twelve teens continued serenading them, and Will thought about how they'd started and how they were ending. They had all come such a long way in nine months, and he was proud of each and every one of them.

When it was over he wiped his eyes and stood, never letting go of Emma's hand. They walked up on stage and gathered in a fourteen person group hug, and Will was proud when Emma let herself be folded in to the huddle. He wrapped an arm around her as Rachel leaned into his other side. He could see tears in the girl's eyes, and felt her breath shaking with sobs as she cried into his shoulder. They stood that way for a few minutes, taking the last few moments as a team. Will secretly prayed that the friendships wouldn't dissolve just because glee club was gone, but he also knew how tough high school was. A few of them wouldn't be strong enough to resist "the herd", as Ken had called them, and Will sent a few extra prayers up for them.

When the tears stopped, Will and Emma stepped back. A few of them still clung to one another, though Will had long ago thrown out the PDA rule - within reason - when it came to his glee clubbers. They were close, closer than most teams because of their shared adversity, and he knew they leaned on each other like a family sometimes.

"I am so proud and honored to have been your teacher," he told them honestly. "Glee club may be over," he took a deep breath to stop the tears, "but you're all in me, too. Music brought us together, but the love you have for each other will never fade away. And anytime you want to have a jam session, well…_mi casa es su casa_." They all laughed and wiped their eyes. "Seriously, I love you guys so much, and I have enjoyed every minute we've shared."

There was a chorus of shared sentiment echoed through the group, and Will felt Emma take his hand again. A few of the kids smiled at them, but no one said anything as Will led her out of the auditorium. He knew she was still thinking about his impromptu proposal; he was, too. He had no idea what possessed him to blurt it out, but he wasn't going to take it back now. He knew, without a doubt, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

She pulled her hand from his as they walked silently to her office. She still had a mound of paperwork to finish, and he had grades to input into the computer. He didn't kiss her, but the look in his eyes let her know he hadn't forgotten either.

"Dinner?" he asked, suddenly feeling to need to explain himself to her. He'd acted like a jackass all weekend, and she didn't deserve it. She nodded wordlessly, busying herself with work as he left her alone. He knew she was probably processing everything that had just happened, but Will couldn't help but feel a little uneasy as he walked to the mail room to retrieve his final exams.

An hour later, a soft knock sounded at his door, and he called out flatly to whoever was on the other side. He looked up to see Emma framed in his doorway, and he dropped the C minus Spanish test he was inputting and stood quickly.

"Hi," he said lamely, watching as she shuffled her feet nervously. He felt his heart leaping into his throat as she turned her wide brown eyes on him.

"Were you serious?" she asked, and he knew instantly what she meant.

"I didn't plan it, if that's what you mean" he told her, hoping to alleviate any jitters she had. "I just kind of blurted it out." He gauged her reaction before continuing. "But that doesn't mean it wasn't sincere. I love you, Emma, and I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He watched her battle with herself, and he briefly wondered what was going on in her head. "If you need more time –"

"No," she said simply, and Will knew it wasn't just to interrupt him. She was answering him.

"No," he repeated, his question evident in his tone. She took a step toward him and offered a humorless smile.

"Would you accept 'not now'?" she continued. "Will, we _just_ started seeing each other again, and you know I love you so much. I just – I need time to adjust to…this," she motioned between them, "before we even start in on…that." He smiled at her adorable, roundabout description of his marriage proposal and their relationship. She kept her eyes down, her weight still shifting from one foot to the other as her hands wrestled with each other nervously. He stepped around his desk and lifted her chin with his forefinger.

"Hey, what's the matter?" She shook her head and shrugged, and he took a deep breath. "Do you think I'm mad or upset just because you're the sensible one?" That got a chuckle from her, though it was muffled by her lips still pressed together firmly. But she was almost smiling now, and he relaxed. "You're right, we do need time to adjust and just be together. So instead of being crazy and getting married, what would you say to a long weekend away?" Her eyes widened as she took in this new information, and tried to process just what a vacation would entail for them.

"Wh-where would we go?" It wasn't another no, and he felt emboldened as he shut his door and led her to his desk. He settled down in his chair and pulled her onto his lap, earning a small squeak and a mild glare at his brash action.

"I was thinking of taking you to the cabin in Colorado where I realized I didn't want to live my life without you." She sank back against him, enjoying the feel of his arm sitting lightly around her waist. She had spent so long distancing herself from everyone that she'd forgotten what it felt like to be held; to be loved. Will had reacquainted her with the feeling, and she found she loved it.

"That sounds…lovely." He grinned happily, hugging her against him with one arm. "But Will, what are we going to do about glee club?"

"I don't know, Emma. I spent every moment this past weekend thinking about it. Without funding, Figgins won't keep it." He rested his head against the back of his chair and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry about this weekend, Emma. I just…I didn't handle it well, I suppose. I was so sure we were going to win."

"You would have, if Sue hadn't rigged the judging," Emma said harshly. "I'm sure she had something to do with it, Will. She's never wanted you guys around. I mean, she rigged Sectionals, and this is no different."

"Except no one has proof this time. It's really over." He closed his eyes, shutting the pain inside to keep her from seeing.

"Oh Will, I'm so sorry." She laid her head against his shoulder, burying her nose into the space just under his ear. She watched his throat working to breathe as it closed up with emotion, and she reached up to stroke the side of his face soothingly. They sat that way for a few moments, listening as the sounds of the bustling students faded away. The lights in the hallway went out, signaling the beginning of the night shift for the cleaning crew. Emma stood abruptly and grabbed Will's hand, lifting him without protest.

"Come on, we can continue this at my house." He shut his computer down quickly, stowing away his papers for tomorrow, before following her out the door. The last two days of school were going to be trying, but they could get through it together.


	20. Hanging By A Moment

"_I'm falling even more in love with you, letting go of all I've held onto." - _Lifehouse

There was nothing greater than the feeling of those first few moments of freedom as the school year ended. Will waved happily as his glee club dashed out the door, returning the hugs thrown his way from Quinn, Rachel, and Mercedes. As he packed his ukulele he hummed the tune he'd practiced for the past two days.

"I always loved that song," a voice called quietly from the doorway. Will smiled as he closed the instrument case, beckoning for Emma to join him at the piano.

"All done?" He knew she had a lot of paperwork to finish up with the transcripts going out, but she was very organized.

"Almost," she said. "Tomorrow I have to send out the final transcripts for the seniors." Will shook his head and smiled at her, gesturing for her to join him on the piano bench. She sat next to him, closer than she would have normally, and he lifted the lid. His fingers danced over the keys, playing familiar chords.

"_Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me_," he had reverted back to the original melody, and Emma closed her eyes. She pictured the old black and white images on her television, sitting on the couch with her parents when she was younger, watching Dorothy wish herself to a magical place. Without thinking, she opened her mouth and sang the next line.

"_Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops. That's where you'll find me."_ He improvised on the melody as he turned his head to look at her sidelong. He laid his voice underneath her soprano in a quiet harmony.

"_Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow; why, then, oh why can't I? Why, then, oh why can't I?"_ He finished the song softly on the piano before setting his hands in his lap.

"You have a beautiful voice," he told her honestly. She blushed and ducked her head, hiding her face behind a curtain of red hair. He grabbed her hand with his and clutched it earnestly. "I mean it, Emma. I meant to tell you months ago in the dress shop but…" he trailed off, his mind flying back to the day he realized he had some very inappropriate feelings for his best friend.

"Will?" apparently she'd noticed the discomfort in his face. He replaced his distant look with a smile and stood up quickly.

"Come on, school's over. We have two and half months to just…be together." She took his proffered hand and stood next to him.

"We can clean your office, then mine, then get out of here." She still had his hand as she moved toward his office, but he didn't budge.

"What? What do you mean clean my office?" She whirled on him with an incredulous stare.

"You don't clean out your office for the summer?" Will stifled a groan as he realized his plans for relaxing this afternoon were out, and followed her into the adjacent room.

Two hours later their offices were spotless, and they'd collected whatever trinkets they wished to save over the summer. Will picked up sub sandwiches on the way home, and thirty minutes later Emma knocked on his door. She'd gone home and changed clothes – forgoing the shower in an attempt to be less OCD– and grabbed a bottle of wine.

"Ah, yes," he teased as she stepped across the threshold, "just what a Subway dinner lacks…white wine." She slipped her shoes off as he took the bottle from her, and she chuckled as, despite his teasing, he poured them each a glass. He raised his and cleared his throat as she grasped hers.

"To the end of another exciting year at McKinley High," he toasted. She lifted her glass in response and sipped the wine. She smiled as she realized he'd laid utensils at her plate, and she picked up her knife and fork to dissect her sandwich delicately.

"Why'd she do it?" Emma asked finally, voicing the question that had probably been on both their minds for the past couple of days.

"I'm not sure," Will answered. "Sue does things sometimes that make sense only to her. I mean, she'd been fighting all year to get rid of glee club, then out of nowhere she's the one who saves it. I have no idea what's going on in her head, and I'm not sure I want to know."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?" Emma inquired with a smile.

"That, or let sleeping dogs lie, I'm not sure which is more appropriate. I'm sure she has something awful planned for next year. We'll just have to wait and see." He finished his sandwich with one last mouthful and stood to rinse his plate. He walked over quickly and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Baseball?" she inquired with a sly smile, and he grinned back unabashedly.

"Hey, this is the Indians' year, I can feel it." She laughed at his joke and sighed in mock exasperation as he darted into the living room to switch on the game. She heard the sounds of faint cheering backing the voices of the commentators as they detailed every play of the game. Surprisingly, it seemed the Indians were actually ahead, and when she finished her sandwich she rinsed her plate and joined him on the couch.

"Okay," she said finally, "explain it to me." His head snapped around and he looked at her as if she'd grown another head.

"Explain what? Baseball? You never played…or even watched a game?"

"Sports aren't really my thing," she shot back. "And besides, down south it's more about football than baseball." She snuggled into his side as he began explaining the basic rules of the game, even mentioning some of his all-time favorite players and their stats.

"So an earned run is bad?" Her voice was laced with confusion and Will chuckled.

"Only for the pitcher," he answered patiently. "His job is to get strikes against batters, so any runs scored that aren't due to error or a passed ball is on the pitcher. Obviously, he wants to keep that number as low as possible." Her face was wrinkled in confusion and he kissed her brow just above her nose.

"Okay, I'm completely lost now. How about you just enjoy the game and I'll go clean the kitchen?" As she stood he grabbed her arm and tugged gently, pulling her back to the couch. In a quick movement, she was under him and she barely had time to squeal in surprise before his mouth descended on hers.

This time, when she felt the fire beginning in her, she didn't pull back in hesitation. Instead, she deepened the kiss, pulling him to her fully. She felt rather than heard him moan in the back of his throat, and his hands gripped her hips firmly as he pushed her into the couch. Feeling empowered, she lifted her hips then reversed the motion, using his instinctual momentum to flip them over. She pulled back to see the shock on his face as she straddled him, feeling his obvious desire beneath her.

"Em?" he whispered, receiving only a sly smile in answer. She slowly rocked her hips forward, and he hissed with pleasure as his hands came up to her waist. When his eyes opened, he saw her uncertain expression and her bottom lip between her teeth. Using his hands, he guided her through the motions, pulling her forward, then pushing down as she slid back. The gasp it elicited from her made him grin, and he felt giddy when she began moving on her own.

Her hair curtained around her face as she looked down at him, and when their eyes locked Emma knew something was about to change. He reached up with both hands and pushed the hair away from her face, framing it gently.

"Stay with me tonight," he pleaded softly. She leaned down till their chests were flush, and she could feel the heat rolling off of him in waves. Canting her head to one side, she let her hair fall over her shoulder as her mouth moved dangerously close to his ear.

"My bag's in the car," she whispered in reply. She saw the moment his eyes darkened, and managed to hold back a scream as he lifted her from the couch in a show of strength. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist as his mouth laid hot against her neck. He walked them down the hallway, pausing for a moment to press her against the wall for a heated kiss.

The reality of the situation flooded her senses, and she pulled away with a worried look in her eyes. Will didn't let up, but placed delicate, reassuring kisses on her collarbone and jaw line.

"Shh," he soothed. "We'll go slow, Em, and I'll stop whenever you want. But if you open yourself up to this, and trust me, I promise you won't regret it." She stared into his eyes for a moment more before nodding, inhaling sharply as he took her full weight again and walked them the rest of the way to the bedroom.

For the next few hours, they touched, kissed, and caressed each other into a blissful height of passion that neither had ever experienced before. Emma, who had been a little hesitant at first, soon surrendered to Will's tender ministrations. After they were spent, they collapsed in a tangled heap of limbs and sweat. It lasted all of five minutes before Will felt Emma squirming beneath him.

"Hmm?" he hummed, unable to summon the energy to even lift his head.

"I need a shower," she stated definitively, earning a chuckle from the man beside her. He lifted his arm from her damp body, pressing a kiss to her neck as he lifted himself from the bed.

"I'll go grab your bag. Towels are in the cabinet." She watched him through her half-closed eyes as he pulled his a pair of boxers on, then his jeans, then a t-shirt from a folded pile on the dresser. He flashed her a smile and wink on his way out the door, letting her know he'd been aware of her eyes on him. She blushed and rose from the bed, a little unsteady on her legs as the exhaustion from their activities set in. Once in the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror.

Her reflection seemed the same as it had always been, but inside she felt different; like some part of her was gone and had been replaced by something so much better. She'd finally dropped her guard and let someone in. _No_, she thought, _not just someone._ She smiled as she heard the front door open and close, and seconds later the knock on the door.

"Come in," she laughed. "There's not really anything more to hide is there?" He was smiling as the door opened, and she didn't miss how his eyes wandered over her form as he dropped the bag on the floor and glided to her.

"I love you," he said sincerely, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her nose swiftly, then brushed her unruly hair away from her face. "You're cute when you're disheveled." She slapped his shoulder playfully, and he darted back. "I'm gonna make a sandwich. You want one?" Her stomach answered for her and they both laughed as he left her alone with her thoughts.

* * *

You ever get distracted by life? Happened to me. Apologies all. But special thanks to _agtstarbuck_ for kicking me in the pants and getting me updating again. Or at least checking to make sure I was still alive. That's cool too.


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